Red Bull’s debrief following the Barcelona Shakedown will be a mixed one. There were positives, but also some setbacks that disrupted the flow of their week.
There had been plenty of optimism around Milton Keynes after Isack Hadjar topped the timesheets on day one. However, things took a turn when their new signing crashed late in Tuesday’s session.
This forced Red Bull to send for spare parts from their UK factory, keeping Verstappen off track until Friday.
Despite the interruptions, Red Bull still completed 185 laps over two days, and Racing Bulls added another 319 with their engine data. The mileage numbers for RBPT’s debut run caught the attention of rival teams and analysts alike.
Montoya claims Red Bull’s 2026 power unit concerns go beyond reliability
Red Bull have been quick to point out that their power unit is performing better than anticipated.
Team principal Laurent Mekies told F1’s official website, “I have to say, in terms of what we were expecting from the power unit on these first couple of days, I can only repeat how proud we are from everybody back at base to have managed to give us something that we can actually run with.”
But according to Juan Pablo Montoya, Red Bull’s main concern isn’t just about getting the car on track. Instead, he says there are lingering issues related to the electronics.
The individual engine components may be performing well, but ‘integration’ will be the biggest challenge for a new manufacturer. It will inherently take time to optimise power delivery.
“They have been more concerned with the electronic systems than the engine’s reliability for a while now, and they still are.”
Isack Hadjar gives his early thoughts on Red Bull’s 2026 F1 car
With Red Bull possibly lacking a bit of horsepower early on, there’s even more pressure on them to get the chassis right this year.
Hadjar, who drove the 2025 Red Bull during post-season testing in Abu Dhabi, described the RB22 as more ‘predictable’. This could be good news for him, considering how several of Verstappen’s previous teammates have found the car difficult to handle.
James Hinchcliffe has suggested that Hadjar might actually benefit from Adrian Newey’s departure. While Newey is a respected figure, he was never particularly focused on driver feedback when it came to car design. The new approach at Red Bull may end up being more driver-friendly.
Read More Like This:
- Isack Hadjar says 2026 Red Bull car doesn’t feel different despite F1 drivers disagreeing
- How Arvid Lindblad’s Racing Bulls laps in Barcelona stacked up against Liam Lawson’s
- Red Bull’s reaction to Isack Hadjar crash shows contrast between Laurent Mekies and Helmut Marko
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