WHY MAX VERSTAPPEN BLAMES THE RB22 FOR RED BULL’S 2026 DOWNFALL
Red Bull faces a crisis as Max Verstappen finishes 8th at Suzuka, calling for "stronger" engine deployment before Miami.
Max Verstappen didn’t hold back after a rough weekend at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, making it clear the RB22’s chassis is where Red Bull really needs to step up. He struggled just to stay ahead of an Alpine, and for a guy with four titles, that stings.
Things started going sideways in qualifying; he dropped out in Q2 and had to start 11th on the grid. At first, it looked like he might be able to turn things around. Verstappen got off the line well, jumped past Gabriel Bortoleto, slipped by teammate Isack Hadjar, and then picked off Esteban Ocon and a Haas. That bumped him up to eighth, and after a pit stop for hard tyres under the safety car, things didn't look terrible. Respectable, but not where you expect to see Verstappen.
But then he got stuck behind Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. Gasly wasn’t in the mood to make life easy for his old Red Bull teammate. He defended hard, Verstappen couldn’t find a way by, and seventh slipped right out of reach. Not only did Verstappen lose out, but Alpine leapfrogged Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, another sign this season isn’t off to a great start. With Hadjar finishing out of the points too, it’s officially Red Bull’s worst season start since 2015.
Verstappen didn’t mince words afterwards. “I’m always talking with the team,” he told reporters. “We need to figure out this new package. I don’t think it worked that well here. We’ve had a ton of stability problems, and we need to find a more stable balance, plus get a better handle on the engine and deployment. Just be stronger all around.”
Gasly was on top of his game. Even when Verstappen managed to slip past in the Casio Triangle, Gasly punched right back, using his battery deployment and racing sense to reclaim the spot on the main straight. You could feel Verstappen’s frustration at one point; he jokingly waved Gasly back past as the Alpine flew by, which probably says it all.
Now, with the Miami GP over a month away, Red Bull’s got time to dig deep and figure out how to right the ship. Verstappen himself is off to the Nordschleife, getting ready for the Nurburgring 24 Hours in a Mercedes AMG GT3, but you can bet conversations with Red Bull management are coming first.
He’s also baffled and pretty annoyed by the new F1 regulations, especially the need to manage the battery during a qualifying lap. Drivers now have to lift and coast through corners like 130R, sometimes losing 70 km/h due to “Super Clipping,” which just kills the rhythm. “It’s confusing,” Verstappen said. “Now you go faster in qualifying by going slower, less throttle, more lifting. That’s not how it should be.”
It’s not just qualifying that’s a headache. The race showed off some of the dangers these new rules bring. Oliver Bearman had a nasty crash at the Spoon Curve after he ran up on a much slower Franco Colapinto, a 50G impact that left him limping, but thankfully unhurt. The FIA said they’ll hold meetings in April to look at these new regs, so maybe changes are on the way.
For Red Bull and Verstappen, though, there’s no sugarcoating it. The car’s off the pace, and frustration is running high. There’s a lot of work ahead if they want to join the fight at the front again.
THE HARDEST EARNED: WHY LEWIS HAMILTON CALLS HIS FIRST FERRARI GP PODIUM HIS TOUGHEST
Lewis Hamilton reflects on his "hardest-earned" Ferrari podium at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix alongside Bono.
_1774991767.webp)
Lewis Hamilton recently reflected on his first podium finish with Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix, describing it as the hardest podium he’s ever had to earn.
Although he claimed victory in the 2025 Chinese sprint race with Ferrari, he hadn’t made it to the podium in a full grand prix until now. After a refreshing winter break and adapting to the new regulations, Hamilton finally hit that milestone and currently sits fourth in the drivers’ standings.
“I had the sprint race win last year, which was amazing, especially with my dad there,” Hamilton shared with F1 about his initial podium with Ferrari. “Bringing my mum to China this time and sharing that incredible week with her before getting my first podium made it all the more special.”
He went on to say, “I’d been chasing that podium for quite a while, and it honestly felt like I’d never worked so hard to get one. I was really grateful. It felt like my first, even though I’ve had a few before. Being up there in red, alongside Bono and Kimi, remembering his first win and George, brought back a lot of nostalgia.”
Hamilton also spoke about the atmosphere with his team following the achievement, emphasising how much it meant to everyone. “It was huge. The team, especially those in the garage, has been incredible over the last year. Their support has never wavered.”
He continued, “After every weekend where I fell short last year, I’d come back feeling gutted, disappointed that I hadn’t delivered for them. But they were always encouraging, saying, ‘Next time, next time.’ Their positivity kept me going. So, finally reaching the podium and seeing how happy and grateful they were really touched me.”
“That moment fuels me to push even harder, dig deeper, and keep building with the team,” Hamilton concluded.
CHARLES LECLERC EXPLAIN WHY 2026 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING FEELS "TOTALLY DIFFERENT" NOW
Charles Leclerc warns that the 2026 F1 battery rules are ruining the thrill of qualifying despite Ferrari’s strong start.
Charles Leclerc isn’t too happy about how the new Formula 1 rules have changed the excitement in qualifying for 2026.
He and Ferrari are off to a strong start this season, sitting comfortably behind Mercedes as the second-quickest car. Ferrari has figured out the new technical regulations pretty well; their smaller turbo and powerful battery are keeping them right up at the front.
But people in and out of the paddock are still worried about what these new rules are doing to the racing. Some feel the action on track is starting to look a bit fake.
Leclerc doesn’t totally agree with that. He thinks teams are just learning to use their batteries better, and knowledge is driving that change.
“I actually enjoy it,” Leclerc told reporters. “From inside the car, it doesn’t feel artificial. Sure, sometimes overtakes look a bit forced, like when someone screws up with battery management and suddenly loses a ton of speed, but honestly, we’re all figuring out when to push and when to play it safe. That’s making for some pretty fun overtaking spots.”
Now, as for the qualifying session? Leclerc admits that’s where he has bigger concerns. Take the Chinese Grand Prix, for example: there were overtakes everywhere, and drivers, Leclerc included, felt more confident handling the car. Still, he says the racing style isn’t quite what Formula 1 should be.
“The smaller, lighter cars are more agile, and it’s easier to go around the outside,” he said. “They’re not the super high-downforce machines we used to have. But we need to make qualifying feel more like Formula 1 again. Something is missing. If we work on it, we’ll figure it out.”
Leclerc’s worried that the new rules, especially the way battery deployment works, are messing up the thrill of push laps in qualifying. With Suzuka’s technical corners coming up, those battery issues could make the qualifying spectacle feel even less special.
