Red Bull's Troubled Start Still Holds a Big Question Mark

Red Bull’s RB22 has struggled to find a rhythm under the new 2026 rules, leaving the team with a clear performance gap. Rookie Isack Hadjar has been a bright spot, scoring points in China and reaching Q3 at the first three rounds, but the car’s unpredictable balance keeps the season outlook uncertain.

Why it matters:

• Red Bull’s decade‑long dominance is at risk if the RB22 can’t close the gap.
• Early points are vital for Constructors’ standings and development funding.
• Hadjar’s pace could reshape the driver hierarchy and challenge Verstappen’s sole focus.

The details:

• China: spun on the opening lap, recovered to finish 9th and earned his first points for Red Bull.
• Japan: qualified 12th, then fell outside the points after a safety‑car shuffle.
• Suzuka: a mistimed safety car and a suspected battery glitch cost a low‑point finish; Hadjar said the car “has no load, it goes either way in a split second.”
• Qualifying: third on the grid in Melbourne before engine failure, and made Q3 at all three events – a result Verstappen achieved only once this year.

What's next:

The key question is whether Red Bull can upgrade the RB22 before the summer break. Any package must fix the chassis’s lack of load and the car’s erratic balance. If Hadjar’s qualifying speed translates into race results on a faster car, he could become a real challenger to Verstappen and give Red Bull a second contender. Until then, the title fight hangs on an ‘if‑and‑when’ of a more predictable car.