Red Bull Baku Upgrade Works as Verstappen Gains Hope

Red Bull’s latest RB22 upgrades are working as expected in Baku, giving Max Verstappen a stronger balance while bumps remain the team’s main weakness.

Red Bull gets a positive first read in Baku

Red Bull arrived in Baku with a major update package for the RB22. After the first two practice sessions, the team has received encouraging signs that the new parts are delivering the performance expected from the simulations.

Max Verstappen finished second in FP1 and third in FP2. More importantly, he said the car felt good enough to fight for a podium, even though Mercedes remained ahead on pure short-run pace.

Max Verstappen drives the updated RB22 during Thursday practice at the Baku City Circuit.

The update focuses on several areas of the car.

Formula 1’s technical analysis confirms changes to the floor geometry, diffuser and sidepods. Red Bull also revised the mirror assembly, halo and cooling-louvre layout to improve airflow and increase local aerodynamic load.

That first comparison with the simulation is important.

Technical director Pierre Wache said the team received good feedback from both drivers and that the upgrade delivered roughly what Red Bull expected.

For a team that has already spent heavily developing the RB22 this season, that is a valuable result.

Verstappen is happier with the balance

The strongest positive from Thursday was not the headline lap time.

It was the balance of the car.

Verstappen said he was “pretty happy” with the RB22 after the opening day. He added that the team is now looking for more performance rather than dealing with a fundamental balance problem.

That is an important difference compared with some previous weekends.

Red Bull has often struggled when the car develops too much understeer or oversteer. In Baku, the main complaints have instead centered on how the car reacts to the uneven asphalt.

The RB22 therefore appears to have a clearer performance window.

Bumps remain the biggest problem

Baku creates a very specific technical challenge.

The circuit combines long flat-out sections with slow corners and extremely narrow streets. The Old Town section is only 7.6 meters wide at its narrowest point.

The surface is another issue.

Verstappen complained during FP2 about the ride of the RB22. Formula 1 reported that he was forced to counter-steer because the rear axle was unloading over the bumps.

That is important because Red Bull wants to keep the car low enough to maximize aerodynamic performance along Baku’s long straight.

The compromise is difficult.

A lower ride height can improve aerodynamic efficiency. But an overly stiff setup can make the car unstable when it encounters bumps or aggressive braking zones.

Baku combines long straights with narrow sections that place unusual demands on car stability and setup.

Red Bull therefore needs to find a better compromise overnight.

The objective is not simply to make the car softer. Engineers need to protect the aerodynamic platform while giving the rear axle a more predictable response.

That could be particularly important in qualifying.

Mercedes is still ahead on one-lap pace

The first-day picture was encouraging for Red Bull, but Mercedes remains the benchmark.

George Russell topped both FP1 and FP2, with Kimi Antonelli second in FP2. Verstappen finished third in the afternoon session, 0.827 seconds behind Russell.

Wache therefore admitted that Mercedes looked strongest over the short runs.

At the same time, the Red Bull technical director said the gaps to McLaren and Ferrari were harder to judge because of different run plans and energy deployment.

That leaves Red Bull with room to improve before qualifying.

The team does not need a completely different car. It needs to extract more speed from the package that already appears to be working.

Isack Hadjar also used Red Bull’s new package and described the car as stronger than the version he drove before his injury.

Hadjar’s feedback provides another positive signal.

After missing Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid, the Frenchman returned in Baku and said the upgraded RB22 felt stronger than the car he drove in Hungary. He finished ninth in FP2.

Both Red Bull drivers therefore gave the same broad message.

The new package is working.

Red Bull is already thinking about 2027

The Baku upgrade also arrives at an important point in Red Bull’s development cycle.

The team has already started moving a significant part of its resources toward the 2027 project. That means the remaining 2026 upgrades need to deliver a clear return without consuming excessive manufacturing and development capacity.

The Baku package could be the final major step in that process.

Its early performance is encouraging because the team is getting confirmation from both the simulation tools and the drivers.

That combination matters.

A new component is only useful if its predicted aerodynamic behavior translates to real track performance. In Baku, Red Bull appears to have achieved that first connection.

The remaining issue is the surface.

Red Bull needs the RB22 to remain stable over the bumps without sacrificing the aerodynamic efficiency that gives it potential on Baku’s long straights.

For now, the Red Bull Baku upgrade has delivered the response the team wanted, and Verstappen believes the RB22 has enough balance to fight for a podium. The next step is to find the extra speed needed to close the gap to Mercedes before qualifying.