Red Bull in Crisis: Verstappen's Start Problem, Hadjar's Retirement and the "Significant Shortcomings" Ahead

Red Bull Racing left the Australian Grand Prix with a mixed bag: Max Verstappen delivered a sensational P20-to-P6 recovery drive, but the weekend exposed multiple weaknesses in the RB22 that will be tested further at Shanghai's demanding sprint weekend.

The Qualifying Crash

Verstappen's Q1 crash at Turn 1 — caused by what appeared to be a rear axle lock under braking — was the most dramatic moment of qualifying. "I've never experienced something like that before," Verstappen told Formula1.com afterwards. He needed X-rays on his hands but was cleared to race. The incident, per The Race's analysis, appeared linked to energy harvesting under braking — a system-level issue rather than driver error.

The Start Procedure Problem

Motorsport.com identified a pattern emerging with Red Bull's race starts under the new 2026 procedure. Without the MGU-H, turbo spooling requires precise timing — and the Red Bull Ford unit struggled. Verstappen reported: "I just have no power. As soon as I release the clutch, the engine is not there." Ferrari-powered cars, by contrast, demonstrated consistently strong getaways in Melbourne. At a sprint weekend where there are two standing starts, this weakness is amplified.

Hadjar's Retirement and Reliability

Isack Hadjar retired from his first grand prix with an engine-related issue — a concerning early sign for the Red Bull Ford DM01 power unit that had looked so reliable in testing. Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the team had "work to do" per Formula1.com, while insisting Red Bull are in "full attack mode."

The Recovery Drive That Showed the Ceiling

Verstappen's climb from P20 to P6 was, paradoxically, both the best and most concerning aspect of Red Bull's weekend. The four-time champion clearly has the talent to extract results from a difficult car — but the fact that the RB22 needed Verstappen-level heroics just to score eight points suggests the baseline performance is significantly behind Mercedes and potentially Ferrari.