Red Bull Admits RB22 Launch Issues Require Major 2027 Redesign

Red Bull's struggle to get the RB22 off the line has become a critical liability throughout the 2026 season. Team boss Laurent Mekies has admitted that fixing these launch issues requires significant hardware and design changes that simply cannot be implemented until the introduction of the 2027 car.

Why it matters:

Launch performance is fundamental to track position, and for a team fighting at the front, a poor start is an unacceptable vulnerability. As the RB22 has evolved to be more competitive in raw pace, the deficit at the start has become more glaring, often leaving Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar exposed to rivals like Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli during the opening lap.

The Details:

• Clutch Fragility: Drivers, specifically Isack Hadjar, have pointed to a clutch that is too fragile and fails to cope with temperature fluctuations, leading to inconsistent delivery.
• Systemic Failure: Mekies emphasized that the problem is not isolated to one part but spans the engine, gearbox, and clutch departments, making it a complex architectural issue rather than a simple software tweak.
• The Paradox: Interestingly, the Racing Bulls car, which utilizes the same Red Bull Powertrains unit, has not exhibited the same launch struggles, suggesting the issue lies in the RB22's specific integration.
• Communication Breakdown: Adding to the frustration, Red Bull is plagued by recurring radio failures. Verstappen has described the situation as a "disaster," with Mekies admitting the team still doesn't fully understand the root cause.

What's next:

While Red Bull will attempt incremental improvements for the remaining races of 2026, the team has accepted they will not be the benchmark for launches this year. All eyes are now on the RB23 project for 2027, where a complete redesign of the launch hardware is expected to eliminate these vulnerabilities and restore the team's dominance from the lights out.