{"id":4552,"date":"2026-10-28T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4552"},"modified":"2026-10-27T21:58:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T00:58:23","slug":"verstappen-and-hadjar-face-f1s-final-five-races-with-a-red-bull-problem-that-cannot-be-fixed-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/verstappen-and-hadjar-face-f1s-final-five-races-with-a-red-bull-problem-that-cannot-be-fixed-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Verstappen and Hadjar face F1&#8217;s final five races with a Red Bull problem that cannot be fixed yet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Red Bull admits that its recurring Formula 1 starting problems cannot be completely solved during 2026<\/strong>, with significant hardware changes required for next season.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Laurent Mekies identifies the power unit, gearbox and clutch as interconnected factors<\/strong>, while Isack Hadjar says the clutch is too sensitive to temperature changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The weakness affected both Hadjar and Max Verstappen in Austin, becoming increasingly costly as Red Bull&#8217;s improved race pace allows it to challenge the leading teams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Red Bull has admitted that its recurring Formula 1 starting problems will not be fully resolved before the end of the 2026 season, with team principal Laurent Mekies confirming that significant hardware changes are required for 2027.<\/strong> The Frenchman explained that the weakness involves several interconnected systems, including the engine, gearbox and clutch, and cannot be eliminated through trackside adjustments alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem became particularly visible during the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, where both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar lost ground during the opening phase. Although Red Bull has recovered considerable performance during the second half of the championship, its inconsistent launches remain an obstacle when competing directly against Mercedes and Ferrari.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mekies admits Red Bull cannot completely fix starts in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull has struggled to achieve consistently competitive race starts throughout the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem has become more noticeable as the RB22 has improved, allowing Verstappen and Hadjar to qualify closer to the front of the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When competing in the midfield, a difficult start can compromise the first lap without necessarily destroying a race strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the front, however, losing one or two positions can have much greater consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After Austin, Mekies acknowledged that Red Bull had made progress but was still unable to match the best-performing teams during the launch phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The start is a slightly more complex issue to solve,&#8221; he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team principal said the weakness involved almost every technical department apart from aerodynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s the engine, it&#8217;s the gearbox, it&#8217;s the clutch, it&#8217;s many things,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mekies acknowledged that Red Bull had never established itself as the benchmark for starting performance under the current regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team has improved its procedures and operating characteristics during the season, but the fundamental limitation remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A complete solution, Mekies explained, will require changes that cannot be implemented until the 2027 car.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-1024x576.png\" alt=\"F1 2026, SINGAPURA, CLASSIFICA\u00c7\u00c3O SPRINT, RED BULL, LAURENT MEKIES, ROSTO, RETRATO\" class=\"wp-image-1020317524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-red-bull-laurent-mekies.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Laurent Mekies (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Red Bull needs hardware changes to improve launch performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key distinction in Mekies&#8217; comments is between incremental improvements and a fundamental redesign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull believes it can continue refining its starts during the remaining races of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That work includes adjustments to operating procedures, software and the management of the existing hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the team does not expect those modifications to make the RB22 competitive with the strongest cars at the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mekies explained that the full solution requires significant changes to the design and hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is a more extensive task than adjusting the clutch settings or changing the launch procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The engine, gearbox and clutch must work together to deliver the required torque without causing excessive wheelspin or inconsistent acceleration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If one part of the system responds unpredictably, the entire launch can be compromised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mekies said Red Bull would continue making small gains throughout the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We will continue to reduce the gap to the competition from now to the end of the year,&#8221; he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the team principal was clear about the limitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>&#8220;I equally know that we will not be the benchmark before the end of the season,&#8221;<\/strong> he admitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Mekies, reaching that level will require significant design and hardware changes that will only become available with the 2027 car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hadjar blames sensitive clutch after difficult Austin start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Isack Hadjar experienced the problem directly during the United States Grand Prix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Frenchman qualified third, placing his Red Bull immediately behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Verstappen on the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, he dropped to fifth during the opening lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the race, Hadjar argued that the problem had not been caused by an incorrect procedure on his part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He explained that the clutch could deliver torque inconsistently, particularly when operating temperatures changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I do everything perfectly in terms of procedure, and then I just have like clutch over-delivery,&#8221; he told Sky Sports F1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hadjar said the behaviour was outside his control and called for the component to be redesigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It needs a redesign because at the moment it&#8217;s too fragile,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Frenchman also criticised the sensitivity of the clutch to temperature changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His comments were particularly significant because they followed another race in which Red Bull had demonstrated the pace to compete near the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hadjar ultimately finished sixth, collecting eight championship points but failing to convert his third-place starting position into a podium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1020318901\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-2048x1364.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hadjar-FP3-Estados-Unidos-ES-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Isack Hadjar (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Verstappen also loses ground at start of United States GP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Verstappen encountered similar difficulties in Austin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dutchman qualified second, only 0.179 seconds behind Antonelli, putting him in a strong position to challenge for the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the Red Bull struggled to accelerate effectively away from the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Antonelli maintained the advantage into Turn 1, while Verstappen came under pressure from both Ferraris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Charles Leclerc subsequently moved ahead, forcing Verstappen to recover during the opening portion of the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the Dutchman later returned to second place, the difficult start added to a weekend in which Red Bull struggled with tyre management and strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Verstappen ultimately finished third behind Antonelli and Leclerc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afterwards, the four-time champion <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/verstappen-exposes-red-bulls-austin-mistakes-and-admits-antonelli-was-out-of-reach\/\">identified several mistakes that prevented Red Bull from challenging Mercedes effectively<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those problems included tyre choices, inconsistent engine braking and gearshift behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The start weakness was therefore not the only limitation affecting Red Bull in Austin, but it contributed to a race in which both drivers lost positions when they had opportunities to compete near the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why have Red Bull&#8217;s start problems become more costly?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mekies believes the issue has become particularly painful because the RB22 is now much more competitive than it was earlier in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull struggled with performance and consistency during the opening rounds, but subsequent developments improved its ability to fight Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Verstappen took victories in Malaysia and Singapore, demonstrating that the team had recovered a significant portion of its competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the stronger car has created a new problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull is now regularly positioned near rivals capable of taking advantage of even a small mistake at the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A loss of acceleration on the run to Turn 1 can therefore undo much of the work completed during qualifying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same weakness can also create strategic difficulties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A driver who starts from the front row but drops behind slower cars may lose time in traffic, overheat tyres or be forced to alter the intended race strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That makes a reliable launch particularly important when the margins between the leading teams are small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Red Bull&#8217;s improvement has made the start problem more damaging, not necessarily more severe.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The difference is that the team now has more positions to lose at the front of the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Racing Bulls could provide useful information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull is also examining whether its sister team can provide useful comparisons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Racing Bulls uses the same Red Bull-Ford power-unit architecture, giving engineers opportunities to examine differences in operating characteristics and launch performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, shared power-unit supply does not mean the two teams use identical chassis, gearboxes, cooling arrangements or clutch configurations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their overall launch behaviour can therefore differ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull can investigate whether particular procedures or hardware characteristics used elsewhere in the organisation provide useful information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That process may help reduce the deficit during the final rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, Mekies has made clear that small adjustments will not completely resolve the underlying problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The full solution remains a 2027 objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Red Bull already plans substantial changes to its 2027 car<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The need to redesign the launch-related systems fits into Red Bull&#8217;s broader development programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technical director Pierre Wach\u00e9 has already indicated that the team intends to change a substantial proportion of the RB22&#8217;s mechanical and structural components for next season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/red-bull-plans-major-changes-to-its-2027-car\/\">GRANDE PR\u00caMIO reported, Red Bull expects major changes to its 2027 car rather than a straightforward evolution of the current design<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those plans include the gearbox and chassis, creating opportunities to address limitations identified during the first year of the new regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The start problem therefore represents one of several areas where the team believes a more fundamental redesign could deliver benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, changes to the power-unit and transmission package must be evaluated alongside reliability, weight, packaging and performance considerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An improved start system would be valuable, but it cannot come at the expense of creating new weaknesses elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull must also continue operating within Formula 1&#8217;s technical and financial regulations as it prepares the RB23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mexico presents another important test for Verstappen and Hadjar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican Grand Prix on November 1 will provide another opportunity to assess Red Bull&#8217;s launch performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aut\u00f3dromo Hermanos Rodr\u00edguez features a particularly long run towards Turn 1, making the opening acceleration phase important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A driver who loses speed leaving the grid can become vulnerable before the heavy braking zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The circuit&#8217;s altitude also creates unusual demands on power-unit operation, cooling and aerodynamic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those challenges are examined in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/mexicos-2240-metre-altitude-puts-f1s-new-hybrid-engines-to-their-toughest-test-yet\/\">GRANDE PR\u00caMIO&#8217;s analysis of Mexico City&#8217;s 2,240-metre altitude and the 2026 hybrid engines<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Verstappen, the remaining five races are also important to his championship position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dutchman has been mathematically eliminated from the title fight, but remains fourth in the standings with <strong>236 points<\/strong>, only six behind Russell in second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/verstappens-f1-title-hopes-end-early-for-first-time-in-six-years-after-austin-defeat\/\">early end to Verstappen&#8217;s title ambitions for the first time since 2020<\/a><\/strong> means Red Bull&#8217;s immediate focus has shifted towards race victories and the remaining championship positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hadjar, meanwhile, will attempt to consolidate his contribution to the Constructors&#8217; Championship as Red Bull battles McLaren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two teams are level on 355 points after Austin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican Grand Prix therefore provides an important opportunity for Red Bull to improve its results, even if its underlying launch weakness cannot be completely eliminated before 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/\">Formula 1 section<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies says the RB22&#8217;s poor starts involve the engine, gearbox and clutch, and admits that only a major redesign for 2027 can fully resolve the weakness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020319114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Max Verstappen","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Red Bull Content Pool","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_ai_content_disclaimer":"","42wp_is_ai_content":false,"42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":48,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_hide_from_automatic":false,"42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[161,516,64,66],"42wp_author":[48],"class_list":["post-4552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-isack-hadjar","tag-laurent-mekies","tag-max-verstappen","tag-red-bull","42wp_author-giovani-danjo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4552"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4553,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552\/revisions\/4553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020319114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4552"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=4552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}