All articles tagged with #red bull racing
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff credited Max Verstappen as the main reason Red Bull closed the gap in Austria, saying Verstappen’s ability to extract everything from the upgraded car was the key factor, while ruling out treating him as a championship threat for now.
Red Bull apologised to Max Verstappen and took responsibility after his RB22 spun out at Turn 9 in Q3 due to rear aero damage, with the team saying Verstappen had no chance to recover after a loss of rear downforce. Verstappen said a big loss of grip led to an uncontrollable spin, and while the exact cause isn’t being commented on publicly, rear-wall damage is suspected. The team believes the crash will have no impact on Sunday's race, though Red Bull is also dealing with a separate Turn 3 power-unit issue and continuing to learn from its major upgrade package.
Max Verstappen said his late Austrian Grand Prix qualifying lap went wrong in Turn 9 after a snap in Turn 6, with the car “immediately gone” once he turned the wheel, costing him about two grid spots. He noted no mechanical changes and hinted at possible downforce/oversteer issues, while Red Bull’s upgrades at Spielberg show progress but a bigger sample at Silverstone is needed to evaluate the package.
Verstappen says Red Bull’s turnaround in Miami isn’t just about upgrades; a long‑standing steering issue was fixed, giving him better feel and ability to push, with the aero upgrades also helping narrow the gap to the frontrunners.
Isack Hadjar has been officially disqualified from qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix after his Red Bull RB22 breached FIA F1 regulations with protruding floorboards; he will start Sunday's race from the pit lane, Pierre Gasly moves into Hadjar’s Q9 slot and Nico Hulkenberg joins the fifth row, with Max Verstappen and polesitter Kimi Antonelli on the front row.
Long-time Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will leave Red Bull at the end of 2027 to join McLaren on a multi‑million‑pound contract, ending his 2016‑era partnership with Max Verstappen and signaling potential leadership reshuffles at McLaren after recent poaches from Red Bull.
Max Verstappen signals waning motivation amid frustration with Red Bull’s 2026 F1 package and a driving experience he calls anti-driving, driven by machine-learning torque management. Red Bull says the focus is on closing the performance gap and improving the chassis/PU, with potential in-season upgrades via the ADUO framework and a break before Miami to push progress. The driver privately remains happy but questions whether the sport remains enjoyable, as the team works to rekindle his enthusiasm by delivering a faster car.
Max Verstappen could remain linked to Red Bull as an ambassador even if he steps away from driving after 2026, with a post-driving role likely for at least two years while his Red Bull contract runs to 2028. The Race says his loyalty and marketing pull could let Red Bull keep him in a non-driving capacity, potentially alongside the Verstappen.com GT3 project; he could trigger an exit clause before October if he’s outside the top two in the world championship, though a later return to F1 isn’t guaranteed.
Verstappen reportedly would only stay in F1 if he can race for Mercedes; if not, he could retire after 2026. A potential exit clause could be triggered Aug–Oct depending on his standings, while Red Bull plans frank discussions during the break with links to Mercedes remaining through his camp.
Max Verstappen says he is considering his F1 future after 2026, admitting he is not enjoying the redesigned 2026 cars and wonders if it is worth continuing, even as he remains committed to Red Bull; a midseason exit clause could allow him to walk away, and with him ninth in the standings and facing a challenging year, he is also exploring life beyond F1, including sportscar racing.
After the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen criticized the 2026 F1 regulations as flawed and not racing, claiming fans don’t understand racing; Mercedes boss Toto Wolff pushed back, suggesting Verstappen’s critique may be related to Red Bull’s situation and describing Verstappen’s qualifying onboard as ‘horrendous’ to drive, while noting the Shanghai race delivered entertaining overtakes and mid‑field battles and that fan sentiment around the product remains positive, with some rule tweaks still possible.
Max Verstappen labeled Red Bull’s 2026 RB22 “undriveable” after qualifying eighth (ninth in sprint) at the Chinese Grand Prix, saying the car oversteers and understeers with little feedback and can’t be pushed, partly due to battery/power issues. He expects to start Sunday around eighth and doubts improvement will come quickly, noting teammate Isack Hadjar’s similar struggles and the weekend’s broader setup woes.
Red Bull express concern after Max Verstappen's Australian Grand Prix qualifying crash, where the RB22's rear brakes locked on the first push lap and sent him into the barriers, leaving him 20th on the grid; team principal Laurent Mekies said it was 'unfortunate' and that the team will dive into the data to understand what happened, while Isack Hadjar impressed with a P3 on his qualifying debut.
Red Bull says Verstappen’s RB22 sustained recoverable floor damage from a gravel crash in Australian Grand Prix practice; chief engineer Paul Monaghan said there’s enough damage to keep the team busy as they repair and tune the car for qualifying, while Verstappen finished sixth in the session.
Isack Hadjar crashed Red Bull’s RB22 on Day 2 of Formula 1’s Barcelona pre-season test, with the rear of the car hitting the Tecpro barrier in Turn 14. Red Bull said he was 'all good' afterward. The incident occurred about 40 minutes before the session end, a setback as spare parts are scarce during the five-day test, though the team can potentially swap parts and continue running later in the week; Ferrari was the only other team in action that day with Leclerc and Hamilton in the SF-26.