Max Verstappen has voiced frustration after Red Bull Racing’s RB22 left him struggling for pace and control in Shanghai, calling the car “incredibly difficult to drive” under the new F1 regulations.
The four-time world champion revealed that Red Bull made major adjustments between qualifying sessions, yet found “zero difference” in performance. Verstappen said he had “no balance,” describing the car as unpredictable and challenging, with each lap feeling like a battle for survival. Efforts to find a consistent reference proved futile, leaving the Dutch driver struggling to extract performance.
Max Verstappen saw his Chinese Grand Prix end prematurely at Shanghai after a technical failure forced Red Bull to retire his RB22 during the closing laps.
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Qualifying and Sprint struggles
Red Bull’s difficult weekend in Shanghai began with the Sprint, where Verstappen finished outside the points. In qualifying, he was nearly a second slower than the polesitter, putting him on the fourth row of the grid. His teammate also struggled with pace, highlighting broader performance issues. Red Bull was outpaced by Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, with the deficit split between straight-line speed and cornering performance, prompting the team to pursue wide-ranging improvements rather than a single solution.
Race retirement and mechanical uncertainties
During the race, Verstappen was forced to retire his car—a first in Shanghai for him. Observers noted a brief dashboard glitch prior to the retirement, but the exact mechanical issue remains under investigation. The retirement added to the weekend’s challenges, turning it into a troubleshooting exercise for engineers and drivers alike.
Implications under new F1 regulations
Red Bull recently began using its own power units, and pre-season testing suggested potential gains. However, the new Formula 1 car regulations have exposed weaknesses in both car design and performance. Verstappen highlighted the difficulty, stating, “Every lap is survival,” and confirming that Red Bull has struggled more than other teams adapting to the changes. Team leadership described the situation as a “360 improvement” task, indicating that upgrades across engineering, aerodynamics, and operations are required.
Looking ahead: priorities for Red Bull and Verstappen
The immediate focus for Verstappen and his engineers will be stabilising the RB22’s balance to ensure predictable lap-to-lap performance. Concurrently, the team must investigate the mechanical issue that ended the race. Closing the pace gap to rivals will require sustained efforts across multiple departments, with the Shanghai weekend serving as a wake-up call for Red Bull as the 2026 season progresses.
Published: 15 Mar 2026, 03:03 pm IST
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