Exclusive: The story behind Red Bull and Verstappen's F1 turnaround in Miami

Red Bull’s resurgence was perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the Formula 1 weekend in Miami. Whereas the team indicated in Japan that it did not yet fully understand its problems with the RB22, it suddenly found itself back at the sharp end of the grid in Florida.

Max Verstappen ultimately finished fifth, but that result does not tell the full story of the weekend. Verstappen’s spin on the opening lap and his early pitstop somewhat masked Red Bull’s true pace.

The four-time world champion already told Dutch media that the effect of this upgrade package is a welcome confidence boost for the entire team. That also applies to technical director Pierre Wache, who after a difficult start to the season felt pressure to turn the situation around.

“It’s not easy, but I'm for sure disappointed with the result. I think the result [in Miami] doesn't show our pace. But it's good for the team to show that the car has some pace on it and that we are in the mix again,” Wache told Autosport after the Miami GP.

The effect of Red Bull’s upgrade has surprised many in the paddock. The team has closed the gap to the front of the field by a second compared to the Japanese Grand Prix, which is all the more remarkable given that McLaren and Ferrari also brought significant packages to Miami.

Wache indicates that he is not so surprised by the effect of the new parts themselves, but rather by the gains coming from Verstappen feeling more comfortable in the car again.

“It delivered what we expected. It's just the package itself that has delivered. But after we fixed some other issues, that has also brought some Max performance that maybe we didn't expect.”

Watch: 2026 Miami GP: Antonelli Triumphs in Miami

Wache apologises for late solution to steering issue

The latter is largely related to what Verstappen already shared during his Dutch media session after qualifying: Red Bull discovered and addressed an issue in the steering system.

The technical department led by Wache replaced the entire steering rack and also various “supporting components” ahead of a filming day in Silverstone and the Miami GP.

Verstappen indicated that he had already felt a steering issue from the very first lap during the Barcelona shakedown, raising the question of why Red Bull had not been able to solve it earlier.

“First, we had to make sure that he had an issue. Then it was about identifying where it was coming from, and that takes a long time. And after that, it was about fixing the problem,” Wache replied.

“I'm sorry that we didn't fix it before. We tried multiple stuff and it didn't work. Some parts also took a long time to arrive, but I think the engineering team did a very good job to achieve it.”

Asked whether Red Bull only truly discovered the issue during the April break or already before that, the Frenchman continued: “A little bit before that. But the break gave us time to produce the parts, I would say. Otherwise, in Bahrain and Jeddah we would not have had the parts.”

Red Bull car tech detail

Photo by: Getty Images

Red Bull wanted to introduce Macarena wing already in Melbourne

The aspect that stands out visually is Red Bull’s own version of the Macarena wing. The team immediately made clear that the rotating wing concept was not copied from Ferrari and also works differently, something that was visible in Miami.

Where the Ferrari wing can rotate up to 270 degrees in one direction, Red Bull’s rotates up to 160 degrees in the opposite direction. It proved successful around the Hard Rock Stadium, although according to Wache it has been quite a task to get the wing working as intended.

“I think we started in November. We tried to introduce it in Bahrain, and then in Melbourne. We had some issues to make it work,” he explained.

“We tried again in Suzuka, but we were struggling a lot. And now it works. It's a long process to make this type of device happen.”

Asked why it is so complex, Wache explained the main challenge is complying with all FIA regulations: “Because the time that you have to open and close it is limited. And it's a longer distance that is not exactly what we used to.

“We also didn't anticipate some issues because it's a new system. Maybe it was our fault, [so there were] things that we had to fix. And after fixing, it takes time on top of the normal development of the car.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Red Bull plans further upgrade to hit the weight limit

In terms of the normal development of the RB22, the Miami upgrade has been the second package, following earlier updates in Japan. Verstappen indicated that the Japan package did not bring any improvement, but that this step in Miami delivered as intended.

The final question is when Red Bull will take the next major step in the development battle that the 2026 season is. Mercedes has announced upgrades for Montreal, but Red Bull will have to wait a little longer – also because the possibilities under the budget cap are not unlimited.

“We have to wait a little bit longer, just a little step for Montreal,” Wache confirmed.

The next major package is planned for the European season and will also include further weight reduction. Red Bull has already reduced the RB22’s excess weight from 12 to six kilograms and hopes to reach the minimum weight after the first European races.

“Yes, I think there will be another step. I don't know when, but we will have a weight reduction happening for maybe Austria,” he said.