Why Max Verstappen isn’t winning: Leaked data shows Red Bull’s RB22 is significantly overweight. Discover why Red Bull and Max Verstappen are struggling at the start of the 2026 F1 season.

A photo taken in China has revealed the issue holding back Red Bull and Max Verstappen at the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

After the strong momentum with which he closed last season, many expected Verstappen to be fighting for top positions once again in 2026. However, the first races of the new F1 season have highlighted that Red Bull is still quite behind the leading duo represented by Mercedes and Ferrari.

The RB22 seems to struggle both in qualifying and during the race, showing a rather high tire degradation that prevents the four-time world champion and his teammate Isack Hadjar from threatening their rivals.

Engine not the main issue

Regarding the reasons behind this gap, the engine does not appear to be the primary culprit. The partnership between Red Bull Powertrains and Ford seems to be off to the right start, despite a few minor reliability issues linked to the introduction of the new technical regulations.

Revealing the reason for Red Bull’s early 2026 setback

More clarity on the situation came from photographs taken by particularly attentive fans during the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix weekend. The images, which quickly went viral on social media, show the moment when FIA technicians weighed the RB22 driven by Isack Hadjar.

The data visible in the photos shows that the Red Bull car weighs approximately 716.5 kg without the driver (but with ballast to manage the driver’s weight). Considering the minimum regulated driver weight, set at 82 kg (in Hadjar’s case 70.5 kg + 11.5 kg of ballast), the total reaches 787 kg.

In the same context, McLaren’s car reportedly weighs just 697.5 kg without the driver, highlighting a difference of roughly 19 kg compared to the cars of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.

It therefore seems likely that this overweight issue is one of the causes preventing the Dutch driver from fighting for top positions. It should be noted that excess weight is a problem teams often face at the start of a new cycle. Resolving it will simply require waiting for the first upgrades. Only then will it be possible to make a first assessment of Red Bull and any mistakes made.

The success of Red Bull’s 2026 campaign will depend on how quickly their engineers can implement weight-saving measures without sacrificing structural integrity or reliability. Until those updates arrive, “Super Max” may have to settle for damage limitation as he waits for a car that can finally tip the balance back in his favor.