Red Bull Formula 1 team Technical Director has confirmed he and the team have “no confidence” in the RB22 following its winless first half of the 2026 season.
Red Bull lost the 2024 driver’s title by just two points to Lando Norris and McLaren in 2025, with hopes of continuing its momentum dashed after pre-season testing.
Narrow operating windows have characterised recent Red Bull cars, with the RB22 proving to be particularly volatile to weather and circuit conditions.
This has led to Max Verstappen spinning out in qualifying in both Austria and Hungary, the former leaving the four-time world champion stuck in the gravel after hitting the barriers.
Concerns have also been raised over the RB22’s structural integrity, with both Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar complaining of feeling the car quite literally coming apart during sessions.
Wache revealed that the team is discovering issues with the car at every race, indicating a lack of confidence in it at present.
“We fought until the end, and like the other team, McLaren, I think we are a little bit behind, both of us, based on what we did last year,” he said.
“The other competitors have improved a lot since Monaco. With this new car, you see a different problem every time you go to the track, when you put the car on the ground. We try to maximise it, but no confidence.”
Red Bull happy to have “progressed” RB22
Elaborating on the car’s struggles, Wache said he was pleased with progress on the RB22, but admitted the team ” is not where it would like to be”.
I think the main aspect is that we started behind and, for sure, we have progressed.
“I think it’s a very good job from the team to progress and to arrive where we are.
“We still aren’t where we would like to be, but you try to do your best, try to understand what is not working and what you can do better, and after that you see where you are. But the main thing is that the progress was interesting as a team.”
Red Bull’s stark admission about its car’s competitiveness indicates that it has made peace with its position in the pecking order. When the season returns in Zandvoort, the team faces pressure to show even a small improvement, with Verstappen’s future continuing to be the subject of intense debate.
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