By Isabel Clark
Red Bulls 2026 championship challenger looks different from its rivals this year. With a livery that pays homage to Red Bulls debut Formula One season, the RB22 is their first car to be powered by the Red Bull Ford Powertrains DM01.
Following the unveiling of distinct aerodynamic features at the Barcelona shakedown, a number of different components have seemingly been changed since their car was launched in mid-January.
Beneath the glossy exterior, the cars carrying numbers 3 and 6 feature some of the most standout sidepod designs on the grid. Shorter, slimmer and straighter in profile, the sidepods incorporate a slight channel along the upper surface to promote the ‘Coanda effect’. This design aims to guide as much airflow as possible towards the diffuser, maximising downforce.
The diffuser itself has also undergone a notable rethink. Red Bull have taken the bold step of completely removing the diffuser sidewalls, leaving what can be described as a ‘huge hole’ at the rear of the car. The diffuser remains a critical aerodynamic component, generating downforce by accelerating airflow beneath the car, thereby improving grip and stability through high-speed corners.
In a season already defined by dramatic regulation changes, Red Bull have also repositioned the lateral anti-impact structures higher up along the side of the chassis. While primarily a safety measure – designed to absorb kinetic energy during a crash and reduce the deceleration forces potentially experienced by Verstappen and Hadjar – the carbon-covered structures also serve an aerodynamic purpose. By guiding airflow over the sidepods, they work in tandem with the revised bodywork to further enhance overall downforce.
A closer inspection of the front of the car reveals a distinctive endplate and footplate combination. The endplate features a thicker profile, supporting a twisted footplate that runs along its entire length, a design intended to push strong airflow into the surrounding channels. The conical shape is a familiar sight, commonly seen before the introduction of the ground-effect regulations in 2022.
By contrast, the suspension and steering rack layout appears relatively conventional when compared to some of the car’s more unique design choices. The use of push-rod actuators at both the front and rear is expected to reduce front-to-back slant of the wishbones, helping hot air exit the brake ducts.
With ambitious changes aiming to improve their competitive edge, the Red Bulls RB22 has seemingly been designed to push boundaries of F1 technology in this new era.
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