MEET THE RB22: A FIRST LOOK AT MAX VERSTAPPEN’S 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGER
Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar debuted the Ford-powered RB22. Analysis of the 2026 aero loophole and the "coke bottle" design.
Red Bull turned heads right away at the Barcelona shakedown, with Isack Hadjar setting the pace in what’s basically the real version of Max Verstappen’s 2026 car.
The team from Milton Keynes was one of seven that hit the track on day one of F1’s first pre-season test. Each team can pick any three out of the five days to run at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during this private shakedown.
This year, Formula 1 is running a closed-door test at Montmelo so teams can iron out problems with their new cars before the season kicks off. The 2026 rules bring the biggest shake-up ever—new engines, new aero, new chassis, new tyres. Everything’s changing.
People in the paddock are already buzzing about Red Bull possibly exploiting a loophole in the 2026 engine regs, which could let them crank up combustion rates. But now, rival teams have spotted something else on the car.
Red Bull’s tiny sidepods in Barcelona have everyone scratching their heads.
According to SPEEDWEEK, rival teams are genuinely baffled by the sidepod design Red Bull rolled out on day one. The RB22 Hadjar looked a lot different from the early renders Red Bull showed off at their Detroit launch.
Testing lap times doesn’t tell you much, but those sidepods definitely got people talking. They’re way smaller than what Red Bull first teased, especially at the back of the car. The design is super narrow.
Looks like Red Bull found a clever way to arrange their radiators and heat exchangers, giving them more freedom to shape the bodywork for extra downforce in that “coke bottle” section—the slim bit between the floor and the engine cover.
Gary Anderson says this isn’t a ‘zero sidepod’ like Mercedes tried.
Some people are comparing Red Bull’s sidepods to Mercedes’ zero-pod concept from 2022. Mercedes gave up on that idea in 2023 because it just didn’t work. Gary Anderson, who used to be tech director at Jordan, doesn’t think Red Bull’s gone that extreme for 2026. But Red Bull kept the real look of Verstappen and Hadjar’s car under wraps at their launch.
Anderson told The Race, “If you compare Red Bull’s first renders to the studio photos, the sidepods are clearly smaller, and the upper surface is totally different. Is it a ‘zero sidepod’ solution? It’s smaller than most, sure, but not really zero. The radiator intake is about the same size as others we’ve seen.”
Verstappen got his first taste of the RB22 on Tuesday morning. Red Bull kept testing on day two in Barcelona, and Verstappen even brought out the first red flag after a little off-track excursion. No big deal—he got going again soon after.
KIM KARDASHIAN AND LEWIS HAMILTON SPOTTED ON ROMANTIC EUROPEAN TOUR TOGETHER
Kim Kardashian and F1 star Lewis Hamilton are turning heads across Europe as insiders reveal Kim's "Russell Wilson" nickname.
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are the latest celebrity duo making waves, and apparently, Kim’s already got a cheeky nickname for him. The two have been spotted out together in the Cotswolds, London, and Paris, just enjoying themselves and turning a few heads in the process.
Word is, Kim’s close friends are spilling a few details about this new romance. One insider claims Lewis isn’t looking to settle down right now, but Kim still has a special name for him—she calls him “her Russell Wilson”. If you know the reference, it’s a nod to NFL star Russell Wilson, who married singer Ciara after her high-profile breakup with rapper Future. Friends say Kim thinks of Lewis as a “sophisticated upgrade” from her ex, Kanye West.
Kim and Kanye—now legally known as Ye—were married from 2014 to 2021 and share four kids. Their co-parenting relationship is famously complicated.
Kim’s reportedly a bit anxious about how Kanye will react to her new thing with Lewis, considering Kanye and Lewis were friends back in the day. One source told the Mail, “They’re both cautious about Kanye’s feelings since he and Lewis go way back. Kim’s living for herself these days, but she doesn’t want to poke the bear. They know this could set Kanye off, so they’re keeping it light and just having fun for now.”
Kim and Lewis first crossed paths years ago at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Awards. Back then, they both showed up with their now-exes—Kim was with Ye, and Lewis was with Nicole Scherzinger.
Kanye even had Lewis over for Easter one year. He talked about it: “Lewis Hamilton’s over at my house, and we’re playing some music in my studio. We’re having Easter brunch—my wife’s family, my friends, everyone’s there. And everybody’s like, ‘What is this music?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Lewis Hamilton’s music.’”
Since splitting from Ye, Kim’s dated Pete Davidson and moved on. Kanye’s remarried, too—this time to Australian architect Bianca Censori.
Those two have been in the headlines a lot, usually for their wild fashion choices. Things got especially wild when Bianca showed up at the Grammy Awards in a see-through gown. She arrived in a black fur coat but ditched it to reveal a sheer dress that left little to the imagination. People at the event were definitely stunned.
FERRARI SF-26 COMPLETES 121 LAPS IN HISTORIC LEWIS HAMILTON-LECLERC BARCELONA DEBUT
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a "productive" 121-lap debut for the Ferrari SF-26 during 2026 testing in Barcelona.
Ferrari kicked off its on-track work for the 2026 Formula One season with a steady first day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split driving duties in the team’s bold new car, and the whole thing felt like the start of a new chapter.
With the 2026 rules shaking up both the chassis and the power unit, Ferrari didn’t chase lap times. They zeroed in on checking systems, making sure their data lined up, and ironing out any reliability kinks. The weather threw a few curveballs—rain, some dry patches—but even so, they got through their plan and stacked up plenty of laps.
Leclerc seemed upbeat after his first taste of the new machine. He said it felt good to get back behind the wheel and start figuring out the car, even if the focus was just on systems and not raw speed. “We came here to understand how everything works,” he said. “With the weather mixed up, today was all about checks. We finished what we set out to do, and the car did what we expected. It’s a solid start and a decent base.”
Hamilton, now officially in Ferrari red, felt the same. For him, it was a busy day—lots of on-track time, plenty of new things to get used to—but he called it productive. “We got good mileage, learnt a lot, and didn’t hit any big issues. That’s what matters with so many changes coming in. This gives us a strong platform for the next few days.”
Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, stressed how important it was just to get through the day cleanly. “Given the conditions, it went well for us,” he said. Rain or not, they racked up the laps and—most importantly—avoided any real reliability problems. That’s the top priority when you’re shaking down a brand-new car and engine.
Performance talk? Still way too early for that. Right now, Ferrari’s just learning how this new car behaves, gathering data, and building up bit by bit as the days go on—keeping their focus squarely on themselves.