Red Bull faces technical crisis with new Ford engine and Verstappen criticizes lack of pace in F1

The Red Bull team is going through a troubled start to the season at Fórmula 1 in 2026, accumulating mechanical failures and significant results below expectations. Após the first stages, the Austrian team has just 12 points, occupying fifth place in the constructors’ world championship, tied with Racing Bulls. The four-time champion Max Verstappen had already warned about the difficulties in the transition to the new engine regulations, but the reality on the tracks has proven to be even more complex than expected.

The partnership with Ford to supply the power units brought immediate integration and reliability challenges to the Red Bull Powertrains division. The car presents severe deficiencies in high-speed curves and tire management, resulting in critical retirements and loss of competitiveness compared to direct rivals. Enquanto to

Reliability issues with the Ford power unit

The introduction of new engines in 2026, which prioritize electric propulsion, revealed significant bottlenecks in the project developed together with Ford. Durante o Grande Prêmio da China, the team was forced to recall Max Verstappen’s car on lap 45 due to a serious failure in the ERS cooling system. The situation showed that, despite the good final speed on the straights, the mechanical set still lacks the necessary stability to complete the races at a competitive pace.

The team’s mechanics had to work intensely, breaking the FIA ​​recall protocol on two occasions to try to resolve persistent electrical problems. Team boss Laurent Mekies publicly admitted that the lack of reliability was a calculated risk, but acknowledged that the current package has deficiencies that go beyond the engine. The fragility of the cooling system has been the main obstacle, preventing drivers from exploiting the full potential of power delivery on the straights.

Difficulties in management and premature tire wear

One of the most critical points reported by drivers is the car’s inability to preserve rubber compounds during racing stints. Max Verstappen classified the car’s behavior as unstable, highlighting that the front tires suffered a crumbling process much earlier than expected by the supplier. Em Xangai, excessive wear became visible on the eighth lap, forcing a strategy of early stops that compromised any chance of recovery in the field.

• The degradation rate of Red Bull exceeds that of medium grid teams, such as Haas.
• The faulty aerodynamic balance overloads the tires in support curves.
• Braking instability contributes to overheating of the rubber surface.

This feature prevents the team from executing more aggressive strategies or trying to prolong their stay on the track during safety car windows. The lack of lateral grip causes the car to slide excessively, generating a vicious cycle of loss of temperature and premature destruction of the tires. Drivers report that after just a few fast laps, the vehicle loses steering precision, making it extremely difficult to drive in race conditions.

Performance deficit in high-speed curves

Detailed analysis of telemetry data indicates that the current design of the Red Bull excessively prioritized straight-line aerodynamic efficiency. Although the car is one of the fastest in full-throttle sections, it loses considerable time in winding sections. In direct comparison with the Mercedes and Ferrari, the disadvantage exceeds one second per lap only in specific sections of fast curves, where aerodynamic pressure is fundamental.

Max Sem the load necessary to keep the car glued to the asphalt, drivers need to ease off the accelerator where rivals can maintain constant speed. Essa technical deficiency nullifies the advantage obtained by the Ford engine on the straights, leaving the team vulnerable to overtaking in technical sections and preventing direct attacks on the championship leaders.

Slow race starts and failures in the starting system

The difficulties of Red Bull are not limited to the course of the race, manifesting themselves sharply at the moment the lights go out. Verstappen suffered significant drops in position in the last few starts, losing precious ground in the first few meters due to an inadequate engine response. The new starting procedure, adapted for 2026 electrical requirements, appears not to have been perfectly calibrated for the Anglo-American power unit mapping.

1. The combustion engine speed does not reach the ideal peak when the clutch is released.
2. The energy recovery system has lapses in initial torque delivery.
3. The lack of accumulated battery prevents position defenses in the first laps.

These systemic failures force drivers to perform recovery runs from the start, which puts further strain on mechanical components and tires. Ferrari, for example, managed to optimize this process, consistently gaining positions at the start, while Red Bull finds itself stuck in disputes in the middle of the field. The lack of immediate power when leaving the grid has been a constant complaint from Verstappen, who reported a lack of engine response in the stages of Austrália and China.

Necessary adjustments for the world championship sequence

The technical team led by Laurent Mekies will have a short break to try to implement updates that stabilize the car’s platform. The main focus of the factories at Milton Keynes and the development centers at Ford is on the cooling system and overhaul of the front suspension. The expectation is that new aerodynamic parts can be introduced to improve airflow and, consequently, reduce overheating of tires and electronic components.

Expectations for the return of competitions after the break

The Fórmula 1 calendar provides for a forced break due to logistical changes, which can benefit teams that need time for research and development. Para to Red Bull, this gap is seen as a vital opportunity to redesign parts of the chassis that are not working in harmony with the Ford engine. The immediate goal is to ensure that both cars finish the next few races without terminal hardware failures, allowing the drivers to focus on the pursuit of pure performance.

Internal pressure increases as smaller teams begin to regularly appear ahead of Red Bull on the timesheets. The goal established for the next semester is to stabilize the racing pace so that the team can, at least, compete for podiums and consolidate its position among the four best on the grid. Sem victories or trophies to date, the 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the biggest tests of resilience in the recent history of the Austrian team in the highest category of motorsport.