Red Bull’s engine success backfires: Will Max Verstappen be denied ADUO updates?. Red Bull faces pressure over RB22 chassis updates.

Red Bull, the strong engine backfires: no ADUO?

Red Bull’s cursed chassis

As reported over the past few days, there are clear signs of dissatisfaction within Red Bull regarding the work of technical director Pierre Waché. The updates introduced at Suzuka for the RB22 proved disastrous, with the drivers describing the handling as extremely poor. Isack Hadjar was particularly harsh, calling the Red Bull chassis “terrible.”

German site F1-Insider, citing internal team sources, estimated the performance gap to Mercedes at around one second per lap, with 0.2 seconds attributed to the power unit and 0.8 seconds to the chassis. This situation has increased pressure on Waché, and it is rumored that the Miami updates could be a last chance for the French engineer to secure his position within the team.

No ADUO?

Bad news may also be coming for Max Verstappen regarding ADUO upgrades. Formula 1 rules allow additional development for power units that are found to be 2% to 4% or more down on the reference engine after 6, 12, 18, and 24 Grands Prix.

According to the Italian website AutoRacer.it, Red Bull could be excluded from receiving ADUO early in the season because the Milton Keynes-built engine “has an ICE at the same level as Mercedes.” This could allow Ferrari (three engines), Honda (Aston Martin), and Audi-powered teams to benefit from performance upgrades that Red Bull would be denied, despite the competitiveness of their power unit.

It remains to be determined—likely in tomorrow’s meeting—when ADUO will be unlocked for the slower engine manufacturers: after Miami (the sixth “virtual” GP of the year) or after Monte Carlo (the sixth real GP).

In summary, Red Bull finds itself in a paradoxical trap where its engine success has become a strategic disadvantage. If the chassis issues are not rectified by the time the grid arrives in Miami, Verstappen could find himself locked into a performance deficit that the regulations won’t allow the team to bridge easily. As Mercedes continues to pull away, the pressure on Pierre Waché to deliver a miracle in Florida is at an all-time high. For a team used to leading from the front, the 2026 season is turning into a harsh lesson in the complexities of the new hybrid era.