McLaren Eyes Red Bull RB22 Breakthrough After Verstappen Resurgence

McLaren is already studying Red Bull’s radical new sidepods after Max Verstappen’s Miami Grand Prix resurgence hinted the upgrade may have closed the gap to Mercedes. Team principal Andrea Stella told media that with the new 2026 regulations still in their infancy, convergence is far off, making the design phase particularly fascinating.

Why it matters:

The Red Bull sidepod concept is a standout in a season of diverse solutions. If it proves effective, it could reshape the competitive order, potentially giving Red Bull the edge it needs to challenge Mercedes for race wins—a gap that currently stands at a few tenths per lap.

The Details:

• Red Bull introduced significant sidepod upgrades in Miami, adopting a redesigned upper profile with a pronounced air duct aimed at improving airflow, downforce, and heat distribution.
• The design differs sharply from rivals: Mercedes and Ferrari have their own concepts, while McLaren uses yet another approach. Stella expects a process of “looking at each other, testing things” before any convergence emerges.
• Red Bull’s upgrade was part of seven new parts in Miami. Verstappen qualified a season-best P2, just 0.16s off pole—a major improvement from being 0.8s off earlier.
• McLaren also brought seven new parts and scored a Sprint 1-2, then finished second and third in the grand prix behind Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes.
• Stella believes Mercedes still holds a “couple of tenths advantage” in pure pace, though McLaren has retained its tire consistency edge from last year.

What's Next:

As teams study each other’s designs, the development race will intensify. Stella noted that execution and adaptation will be decisive in such a tight field. If McLaren can extract more from its interpretation—or adopt elements from Red Bull’s sidepods—the gap to Mercedes could shrink further. The next round in Canada will offer a clearer picture.

This period of design divergence promises to keep the midfield and front pack in flux for months to come.