Red Bull RB22, chassis under fire
The start of the season for Red Bull has been decidedly far from expectations: in three Grands Prix of this 2026 the best finish achieved was Verstappen’s sixth place in Melbourne. In particular, there is a lot of dissatisfaction in the team regarding the chassis performance, and on this aspect, one of the backstories revealed by the publication F1-Insider is very indicative: “Red Bull sources believe they are 1 second behind the leader and it is said that 0″8 of that second is due to the chassis and only 0″2 to the engine”.
The RB22 is undriveable, according to both Verstappen and Hadjar, and this has increased the pressure on technical director Pierre Wachè.
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Wachè at risk
What was reported yesterday has also been confirmed by the Germans at F1-Insider: Pierre Wachè’s future at Red Bull is more at risk than ever. The French technical director has reportedly lost the trust of his men, to the point of sparking internal gossip: “He had boasted that his car would be 1″ faster than the Racing Bulls. Now, however, the Racing Bulls is not only just as fast as the Red Bull, but also easier to drive and therefore more predictable. And a team insider explained: ‘With a Racing Bulls, Max would definitely start further up the grid”.
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Miami already decisive?
The departure of chief designer Craig Skinner, which took place in mid-February, is also linked to misunderstandings with Wachè. Furthermore, the updates brought to Suzuka worsened the RB22 instead of improving it, which is why – again according to F1-Insider – “the Miami race already risks being the last for Wachè: if the update package turns out to be another flop, the Frenchman’s days would be numbered”.
