Juan Pablo Montoya has analyzed Red Bull’s current struggles, suggesting that the RB22 could be on Ferrari’s level if it weren’t for excessive weight holding it back.
The start of the Milton Keynes team’s 2026 season hasn’t been ideal. Looking at the average finishing position, Red Bull currently sits at 9.5. This statistic clearly raises questions about a team that, just a few months ago, was competing for a world championship.
Both Red Bull drivers have already expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the RB22. Max Verstappen even described it as a “fight for survival” referring to his car.
According to F1-Insider.com, the RB22 currently carries around ten extra kilograms. An observer reportedly weighed the car after the Chinese GP, suggesting that the engineers in Milton Keynes will need to “put the car on a diet.”
Clearly, with such a weight disadvantage, the Red Bull drivers are forced to drive under limitations. Yet, some see a silver lining in the situation.
Montoya remains optimistic about Red Bull
Speaking to AS Colombia’s YouTube channel, the former F1 driver explained that, all things considered, Red Bull has produced a solid car, and with the right adjustments, it could at least catch up to Ferrari.
After all, the first two races of the season have shown Mercedes’ clear superiority, followed by the two Ferraris. The rest of the grid has had to chase and work hard to close the gap.
“If Red Bull is really 20kg heavier, that means it’s a good car. They were competitive, but above the weight limit,” said Montoya, referring to Isack Hadjar’s performance at Albert Park.
“However, the problem is that instead of developing the car, you first have to put it on a diet to reduce weight. But in the end, they were only about a second behind Antonelli in qualifying.”
“This means that if they reduced the weight, they would be around three tenths from the leader, which is really crazy. They’d be at Ferrari’s level,” added the former Williams driver.
The weight of ambitions
If Montoya’s assessments prove correct, Red Bull’s situation may be less critical than current numbers suggest. The performance deficit isn’t due to structural limitations of the car but rather a correctable factor: weight, which could radically change the balance on track.
In a context where Ferrari and Mercedes appear to have started with greater consistency, the ability of Milton Keynes engineers to act quickly will be decisive. Perhaps even Verstappen, who hasn’t spoken kindly about the car under the new regulations, could regain his smile—and above all, the hunger that has defined him in recent seasons.
Red Bull’s RB22 appears to be a diamond in the rough, hampered more by the scales than the wind tunnel. While the 9.5 average finish is a bitter pill to swallow, Montoya’s perspective suggests that a lighter chassis could turn the 2026 championship into a three-way fight. Based on the content of these technical reports, the European leg of the season will be the ultimate test of Red Bull’s engineering response.
Leave a Reply