Red Bull Keeps Verstappen's Car Unchanged for British Grand Prix

Posted : 05 July 2026

Red Bull Racing has decided not to make any changes to Max Verstappen's RB22 ahead of the 2026 British Grand Prix, meaning the four-time Formula 1 world champion will start seventh on the grid at Silverstone despite his concerns over the car's performance. Reports confirmed that the team has retained the same power unit and setup used during qualifying, avoiding a pit-lane start that would have followed significant modifications.

Verstappen endured a frustrating qualifying session after complaining of a lack of straight-line speed and an apparent engine issue that emerged only during qualifying. The Dutchman revealed that the problem was not present during the sprint race, making the sudden drop in performance even more puzzling for the team.

He explained that the reduced top speed forced him to remain at full throttle for longer periods, which increased battery usage and left him short of electrical energy in the final sector. Verstappen added that the issue appeared to affect only his side of the Red Bull garage, while teammate Isack Hadjar did not experience the same loss of performance. Team principal Laurent Mekies also acknowledged the difference between the two cars.

Following qualifying, Verstappen admitted he would have preferred Red Bull to make major changes, even if it meant starting from the pit lane. He believed that remaining seventh on the grid offered little opportunity for significant progress and felt a fresh power unit or other adjustments would have given the team a better chance of solving the underlying issue.

The Dutchman also stressed that engine performance was not the only concern. He described the RB22's balance as disappointing throughout the weekend and said the setup had shown little improvement from Friday's running. According to Verstappen, both the handling and the missing straight-line speed combined to produce one of his most difficult qualifying sessions of the season.

Despite Verstappen's preference for a more aggressive approach, Red Bull has chosen to keep the car unchanged. The decision leaves the reigning champion hoping the engine problem does not reappear during Sunday's race, where he faces the challenge of recovering from the fourth row against a competitive field led by Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton also starting ahead of him.

Red Bull Keeps Verstappen's Car Unchanged for British Grand Prix

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