2026 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[Valeo]

One would have thought with the new regulations the times of hard&stiff would be over but that sounds like they are still running it like the GE cars?
I also noticed other cars could attack the kerbs more/better although it's not as bad as in 2024/25 while comparing it with a Mclaren for example.

[venkyhere]

Max Verstappen: Red Bull didn’t follow my set-up feedback in Canada

“We did something different with my car, that’s what the team wanted. Clearly, that doesn’t work the way it should. But sometimes you also have to let the team do their thing and make clear that it doesn’t work. I said, ‘Go ahead, if you think this is going to work, then do it.’ And clearly, it doesn’t work.”

What makes that particularly remarkable – if the team was so convinced the approach would work – is that a different choice was made on Isack Hadjar’s car. Verstappen explained: “That’s because they wanted to try it with me, that has been the case for years. A driver can also say, ‘Just leave it as it is because it already feels reasonably okay,’ but for me it didn’t feel okay beforehand and it still doesn’t. I’m not easily satisfied with a car. I want to fight for victory, not for seventh place.”

According to Verstappen, it is now clear to everyone within the team that the chosen direction in Montreal was not the right one.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? The whole qualifying session was going nowhere. I always stay reasonably calm about it, but hopefully now they know that it doesn’t work.”

These comments are worrisome. I'm sure this 'driver v/s engg team' power struggle for setup choice, is common in F1. But it always stays internal, never comes out to media. The comments from driver/TP will be "WE went wrong with setup". That the driver is now coming out in the open and saying 'engg team ignored my choice for setup' , shows that the driver has 'checked out' from the team, he no longer cares. Or probably wants to prove his point by driving a badly setup car, so that next time they listen to him. In either case, it's a glimpse into how fractious the relationship between driver and engg has become. I don't think GP leaving is purely because of the 'once in a lifetime offer' alone. I like this team, but can't turn a blind eye to glaringly obvious signals that are coming out.

[avantman]

One would have thought with the new regulations the times of hard&stiff would be over but that sounds like they are still running it like the GE cars?
I also noticed other cars could attack the kerbs more/better although it's not as bad as in 2024/25 while comparing it with a Mclaren for example.

In my opinion, a cars capacity to attack kerbs isn't necessarily the same as ride quality over the bumps. For example pre ground effect Mercedes cars were sensational over the bumps which means maintaining stability, yet they weren't riding over the kerbs much, mostly avoiding them compared with other relatively fast cars including red bull. George’s comments after the race in Sakhir in 2020 were really telling . Max was talking bumps specifically rather than kerbs. This is about ability of a car to maintain connection with the road under braking, acceleration and cornering on a bumpy surface more than about riding over high kerbs on low speed in these medium-low speed chicanes.

[Badger]

The gap is encouraging (especially considering the issues) but I don't trust this track as a gauge. It's all short radius corners, slow speed corners, and traction/power. RB22 needs to prove itself on a track like Spain.

[avantman]

The gap is encouraging (especially considering the issues) but I don't trust this track as a gauge. It's all short radius corners, slow speed corners, and traction/power. RB22 needs to prove itself on a track like Spain.

Rb22 needs to prove itself as the 4th fastest car in Barcelona for you to accept it is?

[Vettel165]

I dont expect a thing for this race, even if it rains P5, P6 could be the best results. The car needs a lot of improvment.

[Waz]

Max Verstappen: Red Bull didn’t follow my set-up feedback in Canada

“We did something different with my car, that’s what the team wanted. Clearly, that doesn’t work the way it should. But sometimes you also have to let the team do their thing and make clear that it doesn’t work. I said, ‘Go ahead, if you think this is going to work, then do it.’ And clearly, it doesn’t work.”

What makes that particularly remarkable – if the team was so convinced the approach would work – is that a different choice was made on Isack Hadjar’s car. Verstappen explained: “That’s because they wanted to try it with me, that has been the case for years. A driver can also say, ‘Just leave it as it is because it already feels reasonably okay,’ but for me it didn’t feel okay beforehand and it still doesn’t. I’m not easily satisfied with a car. I want to fight for victory, not for seventh place.”

According to Verstappen, it is now clear to everyone within the team that the chosen direction in Montreal was not the right one.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? The whole qualifying session was going nowhere. I always stay reasonably calm about it, but hopefully now they know that it doesn’t work.”

This sounds like something more than just Montreal specific. Almost as if someone has been insisting on it in previous races, but Max has somehow known it would not be an improvement.

Tie it in with the apologetic radio from Mekies, about a necessary data point.

Strange stuff.

[Badger]

The gap is encouraging (especially considering the issues) but I don't trust this track as a gauge. It's all short radius corners, slow speed corners, and traction/power. RB22 needs to prove itself on a track like Spain.

Rb22 needs to prove itself as the 4th fastest car in Barcelona for you to accept it is?

I don't care about the exact order right now, what is important is how far to the front after everyone has fired their first salvo of major upgrades. If RB22 can be 3 tenths from pole on a track with proper long radius corners (like Barcelona) that would be encouraging. When you then take the final bit of weight out, put a fresh engine in the back, work the set-up and aero, they might be cooking with gas later in the year. I did not expect that to be possible after the performance I saw in China and Japan.

[Vettel165]

Indeed

[AR3-GP]

Max Verstappen: Red Bull didn’t follow my set-up feedback in Canada

“We did something different with my car, that’s what the team wanted. Clearly, that doesn’t work the way it should. But sometimes you also have to let the team do their thing and make clear that it doesn’t work. I said, ‘Go ahead, if you think this is going to work, then do it.’ And clearly, it doesn’t work.”

What makes that particularly remarkable – if the team was so convinced the approach would work – is that a different choice was made on Isack Hadjar’s car. Verstappen explained: “That’s because they wanted to try it with me, that has been the case for years. A driver can also say, ‘Just leave it as it is because it already feels reasonably okay,’ but for me it didn’t feel okay beforehand and it still doesn’t. I’m not easily satisfied with a car. I want to fight for victory, not for seventh place.”

According to Verstappen, it is now clear to everyone within the team that the chosen direction in Montreal was not the right one.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? The whole qualifying session was going nowhere. I always stay reasonably calm about it, but hopefully now they know that it doesn’t work.”

This sounds like something more than just Montreal specific. Almost as if someone has been insisting on it in previous races, but Max has somehow known it would not be an improvement.

Tie it in with the apologetic radio from Mekies, about a necessary data point.

Strange stuff.

MV can’t sit in the factory and run the simulator 24/7. The team has to develop its tools to a point where Max is just there to suggest small tweaks to something that is already quite decent. This is part of that process, and with a new car (RB22) they have to validate all the ways of operating the car again, even if it didn’t work on a previous car or previous aero package.

This is small. MV is dissapointed that it didn’t work out, but that’s it. It is a necessary part of the development, as Mekies said.

[FittingMechanics]

To me it sounds like Max is souring on the team or leadership. I don't think this blame game is good.

[AR3-GP]

To me it sounds like Max is souring on the team or leadership. I don't think this blame game is good.

It's being blown out of proportion. Here are the parts of the interview that didn't make it here:

"They listen to me very often, but not this time, and it's clear that it didn't work."

"Of course they listen to me very often, but not this time, because they were convinced that it was going to work."

It just a statement of fact. As they say, the dutch are direct. This comes across to people who are not used to that like a blame game.

Setups are a collaboration. Sometimes you go with the driver, and sometimes the team needs to validate the tools. It is what it is.

[FittingMechanics]

To me it sounds like Max is souring on the team or leadership. I don't think this blame game is good.

It's being blown out of proportion. Here are the parts of the interview that didn't make it here:

"They listen to me very often, but not this time, and it's clear that it didn't work."

"Of course they listen to me very often, but not this time, because they were convinced that it was going to work."

It just a statement of fact. As they say, the dutch are direct. This comes across to people who are not used to that like a blame game.

Direct or not, I don't think that helps. Maybe he does it all the time and I just don't remember.

[Valeo]

Bad start again but looks better on race fuel so far

[AR3-GP]

Pace is not terrible, for now.