RacingPierre Waché’s job is on the line at Red Bull Racing after a rough start to 2026 exposed the RB22’s chassis. Pre-season talk focused on the new RBPT-Ford engine, but the stopwatch points at the car. Inside the team, around eight tenths per lap are pinned on the chassis, and Red Bull sits more than a second off. At Suzuka Circuit, Max Verstappen said the RB22 was almost undriveable, Isack Hadjar called it undrivable and dangerous, and the Miami International Autodrome now looms as a test he cannot afford to fail.
The core problem is balance and weight. The RB22 is heavy and unstable, swinging between understeer on corner entry and oversteer on exit. That leaves the drivers guessing and robs confidence on long runs. The gap has left Mercedes out of reach, with McLaren and Ferrari ahead on both qualifying and race pace.
Japan made it worse. Red Bull arrived at Suzuka with a new package and left with fewer answers. After the race, Verstappen’s assessment that the car was almost undriveable matched what the data showed. Hadjar’s verdict, undrivable and dangerous, captured the mood in the garage. Morale has dipped, and after Japan Laurent Mekies warned not to expect miracles to close the gap quickly.
The spotlight is intense because this is Waché’s first full project without Adrian Newey. Newey exited in 2025, and the RB21’s shakier moments were often covered by Verstappen’s form. Under the new ruleset, Waché’s solo effort is being measured on lap time and race results, and the early sample says the concept is not working.
Strain inside the group has not helped. Head of design Craig Skinner left suddenly before the season, a move that sparked talk of disagreements over direction. From the outside, Ralf Schumacher has urged Red Bull to bring in experienced support around Waché rather than rush to replace him outright.
The near-term fix is already booked. According to F1-Insider, Red Bull has targeted a major RB22 update after the April break. Miami is the first big read on whether the concept can be rescued. Inside the paddock, that weekend is widely viewed as a make-or-break marker for Waché. If the update calms the balance swings and trims the eight tenths the team attributes to the chassis, Red Bull can start to reel the front back in. If not, the questions about leadership of the technical group will only get louder, and Miami could be his last hurrah as technical director.