News Summary
- Red Bull has acknowledged a recurring RB22 performance problem highlighted by Max Verstappen
- Laurent Mekies says the issue is complex and costs the team “serious lap time”
- Red Bull expects the work required to solve it to extend into 2027
Red Bull has acknowledged that Max Verstappen is right about a persistent performance problem with the RB22, with team principal Laurent Mekies admitting the “complex” weakness could take until 2027 to fully address.
Verstappen has repeatedly described the problem as a form of “car degradation”: rather than referring only to tyre wear, the four-time Formula 1 champion believes the RB22 itself loses performance and becomes less effective as sessions and races develop. Mekies has now confirmed that Red Bull’s data supports that assessment.
“We are not going to explain what it is and how we are going to fix it,” Mekies told media. “But Max is right. There is an element of car performance degradation that is happening through a session, through a race.”
“He is right in saying it is not a new issue. We are not sleeping on it. We have been trying to tackle that in different ways. Obviously, I consider it a complex issue, otherwise we would have got to the bottom of it.”
The admission provides more detail about a weakness that has repeatedly frustrated Verstappen during the first season of Formula 1’s new technical regulations.
Red Bull says problem costs “serious lap time”
Red Bull has made progress in understanding the problem, including during the recent Madrid GP weekend, where Verstappen finished second. Mekies stressed, however, that the team still does not have a complete solution.
“We had a couple of positive steps in that regard [in Madrid],” he said. “It will never be the full picture, but we certainly have, through pain, made progress in our understanding.”
“We don’t have all the solutions yet in the car, but I trust that we are on the right way. It will not be fast. It’s something that probably will take us through next year.”
Mekies declined to identify the exact technical cause, describing it only as an aspect of the RB22’s performance that does not always remain at its optimum level. The consequence, according to the Red Bull boss, is significant.
“It’s serious lap time. There is no doubt that we have everyone trying to improve that for the future,” he added.
The comments help explain why Red Bull has struggled to maintain consistent performance even when the RB22 has shown flashes of stronger pace.
At Monza, Verstappen reported another recurring problem with the rear axle during qualifying, saying it caused the car to jump more over kerbs and bumps and cost performance. Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché had also acknowledged balance difficulties during the weekend.
Why Red Bull’s 2027 warning matters
The prospect of the problem extending into 2027 is particularly significant because next season will be the second year of F1’s current technical cycle rather than another complete regulatory reset.
Red Bull therefore has to understand the behaviour rather than simply wait for a fundamentally different set of regulations. Mekies’ comments suggest the team is already treating the weakness as a longer-term development priority.
There have been encouraging signs. Verstappen has recorded consecutive podiums at Monza and Madrid, and Red Bull described its Italian GP performance as a step forward after several difficult weekends.
But improved results have not convinced the team that the underlying problem has disappeared. Mekies’ assessment instead supports Verstappen’s argument that there is still performance hidden in the RB22 if Red Bull can understand why the car does not consistently maintain its optimum level.
With the problem potentially carrying into next season, finding that answer is no longer only about improving Red Bull’s remaining 2026 races. It has become part of the team’s 2027 development challenge as well.
GRANDE PRÊMIO continues to follow Red Bull and Verstappen through its Formula 1 coverage.
FAQ
What problem does Max Verstappen have with the Red Bull RB22?
Verstappen has described a form of “car performance degradation”, where the RB22 does not maintain its optimum performance throughout a session or race. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has confirmed that the problem exists.
Does Red Bull know how to fix Verstappen’s RB22 problem?
Red Bull says it has improved its understanding of the issue but does not yet have a complete solution. Mekies described the problem as complex and said the team has been trying different approaches to address it.
Could Red Bull’s RB22 problem continue into the 2027 F1 season?
Yes. Mekies said the process of understanding and solving the weakness “probably will take us through next year”, making it relevant to Red Bull’s 2027 development programme.
