Red Bull have acknowledged that their 2026 Formula 1 challenger is currently overweight, as the team adapts to the sport’s sweeping new technical regulations, Idman.Biz reports.
Technical director Pierre Wache confirmed the RB22 is struggling to meet the revised minimum weight limit introduced for the new era of F1 power units and chassis rules.
For 2026 the FIA reduced the minimum car weight from 798kg to 768kg, forcing teams to radically rethink packaging, aerodynamics and hybrid systems. The tighter limit has created industry-wide challenges, with several teams understood to be facing similar difficulties.
Extra mass has a direct impact on lap time and tyre wear, making early-season performance sensitive to even small reductions. However, Red Bull are not alarmed by the situation.
The Milton Keynes-based team faced a comparable issue at the start of the 2022 regulation cycle. After a series of weight-saving updates, the car became the benchmark of the field and Max Verstappen went on to secure the world championship.
Red Bull expect a similar development path this time, with progressive upgrades planned to reduce mass as the season unfolds.
