Red Bull car set to reach ‘minimum weight’ for Austria

Red Bull believes it has finally turned a corner after a tough start to 2026, with a breakthrough upgrade package in Miami delivering both a significant performance gain and major progress in its aggressive weight-reduction campaign. The team now expects to hit F1's 768kg minimum weight limit by the Austrian Grand Prix.

Why it matters:

After struggling with excess weight and losing ground to rivals in the early races, Red Bull's ability to shed kilos while adding lap time is critical for its championship hopes. A lighter car not only improves speed but also tire management, a key factor in race pace.

The details:

• Performance uplift: The Miami package included heavily revised sidepods, a new floor, and steering system changes. Team boss Laurent Mekies highlighted qualifying improvements: from 1.2s off pole in Japan to less than 0.2s in Miami Saturday.
• Weight reduction: The car's overweight figure dropped from 12kg to 6kg after Miami. Technical director Pierre Wache confirmed further reductions are coming, with the goal of reaching the 768kg minimum by Austria.
• Driver optimism: Max Verstappen, who finished fifth in the Miami Grand Prix, described the situation as "light at the end of the tunnel." Despite the race result not showcasing pace, the team feels back in the fight.
• Timeline: Wache noted a "little step for Montreal" and expects the car to hit minimum weight for Austria, marking a major milestone in Red Bull's recovery.

What's next:

Red Bull's focus now shifts to sustaining momentum through the European season. With both Verstappen and Isack Hadjar's cars shedding weight, the team aims to close the gap to front-runners. The next two months will be crucial to see if the RB22 can consistently challenge for podiums.

Further weight reductions and setup refinements could allow Red Bull to unlock even more performance, making them a potential threat in the summer races.