Red Bull updates: in addition to Ferrari solutions there is more

Red Bull tries to recover with the developments, called to correct the defects of the RB22 that emerged in the first races. The team from Milton Keynes has produced several innovations, especially regarding the bodywork and the bottom. At the rear, however, the inverted mobile wing and the blocked exhaust make their appearance, both solutions inspired by Ferrari. After the first kilometers on the track, Max Verstappen expressed a positive opinion on the changes, but there is still a long way to go. How the RB22 changes The first novelty on the Red Bull is the appearance of a keel under the chassis, in correspondence with the leading edge of the central flat bottom, an element present on practically all cars. Moving to the sides, the team also modified the entrance section of the bottom channels. In particular, we note the absence of the second protuberance along the upper surface, now incorporated inside the bodywork. The side, in fact, becomes wider, acting as a screen against turbulence from the front wheels, pushing them outwards. The same evolution is perceptible at the rear, where Red Bull has given up on tapering the coca-cola area and drawing the external flows inwards. Now the end part of the sides remains wide up to the rear wheels, while the area on the sides of the gearbox collects the flows conveyed from the upper part of the bodywork. In fact, Red Bull, which had already moved towards a flat-footed approach with the Suzuka developments, dug out the slides, as was already the habit of doing during the ground effect era. In this way, the side is now equipped with an external rise which acts as a physical barrier against turbulence. Furthermore, immediately behind the passenger compartment, you can see the opening of two large cooling vents, necessary to cope with the scorching temperatures of Miami. Finally, we note the addition of diveplanes on the outside of the front wing, designed to mitigate the turbulent wake of the front wheels. Ferrari solutions Also capturing the attention of the updated RB22 are the solutions taken from the Ferrari SF-26, albeit reinterpreted. The exhaust terminal has been lowered, but above all a vertical element makes its appearance which partially blocks the exit section. Red Bull did not have time and/or room for maneuver to install a real flap, which is instead present on Ferrari, confirming however that the usefulness of the solution lies in the partial closure of the exhaust. Understanding exactly how it works remains a difficult undertaking, so much so that even Rob Marshall, McLaren’s Chief Designer, reiterated that understanding what others are trying to do is never easy. Again from the rear view, you can also appreciate the new shape of the bonnet, with a flatter tail vent. The team also touched up the fairings of the suspension arms, as well as the aerodynamic elements mounted on the wheel units. Even more intriguing, however, is the new rear wing, developed to reverse the mobile profiles, exactly like Ferrari’s Macarena, but with the necessary differences. Red Bull, for example, does not use a lateral actuator, maintaining the central structure, modified compared to the beginning of the year. Its presence forces the profiles to rotate backwards, moving in the opposite direction to those of the Ferrari. Finally, on the RB22 the opening of the mobile elements reaches an even greater distance than the main profile, to the advantage of reducing aerodynamic resistance. A step forward Verstappen described the updates as “a very positive step forward” compared to March, when the Dutchman described the car as undriveable, plagued by obvious balance problems. The times in the first sector of Miami confirm that Red Bull still has some aerodynamic load to recover, while the performance on the straight is very respectable. The road seems to be the right one, but it will be important to continue following it to get back to the top.

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News
2026-05-02 22:00:00