Red Bull unlveils RB22 upgrade push – but ‘don’t expect miracles’

Red Bull Racing has arrived at the Miami Grand Prix with one of the most aggressive upgrade packages of the F1 field, rolling out sweeping changes to its RB22 in a bid to recover from a difficult start to the year.

While most teams have introduced updates following the unusual early-season break, Red Bull stands out with a comprehensive overhaul — one that touches nearly every key aerodynamic surface of the car.

The centerpiece of Red Bull’s package is a new "rotating" rear wing designed for active aerodynamics. Although some in the paddock have compared it to Ferrari’s design – famously nicknamed the "Macarena wing" – Red Bull clarifies that their version is an independent concept they have been developing since last year.

Unlike Ferrari’s wing, which can rotate up to 270 degrees, Red Bull’s variant rotates 160 degrees in the opposite direction to achieve a similar reduction in drag. To accommodate this new tech, the team had to rethink the car's rear architecture.

“To allow more travel, the mechanism and attachments to the elements has been revised necessitating a subtle altering of the third profile near centreline,” Red Bull stated.

The changes aren't limited to the rear. The front wing and corner inlets have been modified to improve airflow efficiency. Red Bull explained these tweaks were made “to draw inlet air from the highest pressure source available and exit with minimal blockage.”

A reshaped silhouette and weight loss

Moving down the car, the RB22 features a striking new sidepod design. The side profile now includes a more aggressive drop-off after a distinct kink, incorporating a "waterslide" feature to guide air toward the back.

These bodywork changes are integrated with a brand-new floor and engine cover to maximize downforce.

“The revised bib geometry accommodates changes to the forward floor structure, then blends with the sidepod to then meet the engine cover. Extracting more load whilst maintaining the downstream flow stability,” the team detailed.

Beyond aerodynamics, Red Bull has successfully put the RB22 on a diet. After starting the 2026 season roughly 12kg overweight, this Miami package is expected to shave off nearly half of that excess, bringing the team closer to the 768kg minimum weight limit.

Managing expectations

Despite the scale of these updates, team principal Laurent Mekies is maintaining a grounded perspective.

After a challenging start to the season where drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar struggled to find a rhythm with the car, the primary goal in Miami is stability and better "correlation" between their simulations and the track.

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Mekies warned that while the upgrades are a step forward, there is no overnight fix for their performance gap.

“We do not expect to have solved all our issues in one go, however we certainly aim to give Max and Isack a car they will feel more comfortable to push with. Ultimately only the Miami track will reveal the answer to how good a job we have done and how much we still need to find,” Mekies said.

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