The start of Red Bull’s 2026 season is revealing a deeper issue than the simple time gaps might suggest. Data from Melbourne and Shanghai points to a clear conclusion: the RB22’s limitation is not in raw power, but in the overall balance of its aero-mechanical platform. The team believes part of the performance deficit compared to the top three is linked to the aggressive upgrade strategy used last year, when updates were delivered to the RB21 right up to the final seconds of the season.
RB22: strong in medium-speed corners, weak in slow corners
Looking closely at lap data from Max Verstappen and Hadjar in Shanghai, a distinct pattern emerges: the RB22 behaves very differently depending on the type of corner. In slow corners, the limitation is clear, with Verstappen running 8 km/h slower than Antonelli at the tight hairpin—a significant gap that becomes more pronounced on corner exit, where Mercedes can get back on the throttle earlier while Red Bull requires a much more gradual application. At these speeds, aerodynamics play a limited role, and performance depends largely on mechanical grip. The picture that emerges is a car struggling to generate traction at low speeds, forcing the driver to adopt a more conservative style due to substantial understeer.
In this context, the extra weight affecting the RB22 certainly contributes to its behavior. The team, however, denied that their car is 20 kg overweight. A heavier car naturally penalizes low-speed sections, increasing inertia and making it harder to maintain mid-corner speed and transfer torque efficiently on exit. Yet, as speed increases, the RB22 seems to transform. In medium-speed corners, Verstappen is able to maintain competitive pace, indicating that the car can generate sufficient aerodynamic downforce. In these conditions, the RB22 becomes more precise, with a solid front end and good stability through the corners.
After Hadjar’s DNF in Australia, did Red Bull reduce engine power in China?
The most significant insight comes on the main straight: after an initial phase of aligned acceleration, Red Bull loses performance in the second half, entering clipping before rivals and showing faster energy consumption over the lap. The loss of speed in slow corners forces greater use of electrical energy on corner exit. After Isack Hadjar’s problem in Australia, did Red Bull choose to run more conservatively with engine settings? Analyses of the power unit performance placed the Red Bull engine just behind Mercedes and ahead of Ferrari in Melbourne qualifying, but according to a rival team, that advantage didn’t appear in China. Losing power in today’s modern F1 cars can be critical, especially for a car like the RB22, which is far from perfect in chassis and aerodynamics, unlike the Ferrari SF-26.
Here, the key metric is not maximum speed but the point on the straight where the car stops accelerating, as this reflects the overall efficiency of the system. In this context, Verstappen’s difficulties are a direct consequence of the car’s behavior. It’s not just about finding the limit, but managing a car that doesn’t deliver consistent performance throughout the lap, forcing continuous adaptations between entry, mid-corner, and exit. Verstappen relies on a sharp, precise front end—something the RB22 currently lacks in slow corners. The car cannot yet combine all elements of performance coherently, and this lack of consistency, even more than the absolute value of individual areas, represents the true limitation of Milton Keynes’ car at the start of 2026.
Looking ahead, the team expects to bring the first upgrades to Japan, which could start addressing some of these balance issues.
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