Red Bull Racing started the 2026 Formula 1 season well below expectations, and the team already admits that part of the current difficulties stems from a decision made last year. According to Laurent Mekies, team principal, the choice to continue developing the 2025 car for longer is taking its toll at the start of this championship.
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Even with a good new power unit of their own from Red Bull Powertrains-Ford, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar face serious balance problems on the RB22. The car’s instability has made the drivers’ work difficult, affecting confidence and preventing the team from exploring the full potential of the package.
The difficulties became more evident in the China and Japan races, where Verstappen had trouble finding a competitive setup. According to the Dutch driver, every change in the setup seemed to generate new setbacks, making it difficult to define a reliable base for the car.
With this, the team is now working to react and is preparing a significant package of updates for the Miami GP. The expectation is to take the first step towards recovery and return to the fight with the front-running teams, avoiding a closer approach from the midfield.
The complicated start contrasts with the performance seen in Australia, where Red Bull demonstrated competitive pace before the balance problems emerged. The current scenario, however, led Mekies to recognize that the team suffers from a development deficit caused by the strategy adopted in 2025.
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The decision was to continue investing in last year’s car even with the arrival of new regulations in 2026. The gamble almost paid off, as Verstappen staged a strong recovery in the final stretch of the 2025 season, coming close to a fifth consecutive title, but was ultimately overtaken by Lando Norris in the Abu Dhabi finale by just two points.
Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Mekies explained the logic behind the strategy: “We had every reason, with the new 2026 rules and the new engine project, to say: ‘Let’s start from scratch’. You would be crazy if you wanted to do otherwise. But no one in Milton Keynes wanted to turn the page. Everyone wanted to understand the problems of the 2025 car and change course. Sabíamos que haveria um preço a pagar depois, mas esse é o espírito de luta da equipe”, completou.
Under the budget cap, every resource dedicated to the 2025 car represented less investment for 2026. Even so, Red Bull maintained its aggressive approach, driven by the attempt to win another title. Now, the team is working to resolve the RB22’s problems and believes that, once the balance flaws are corrected, the car’s potential could appear throughout the season.
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