Red Bull’s new package is already attracting the attention of rivals, notably McLaren, which points to a particularly ingenious technical solution.
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The Miami Grand Prix marked a turning point in the development of the 2026 single-seaters, with several teams presenting major upgrades. Red Bull was no exception, unveiling a largely revamped version of its RB22, aimed at reviving its competitiveness.
Among the most visible novelties, some inspirations drawn from aerodynamic trends already seen at Ferrari were noted. But it is especially another area of the car that caught the competitors’ attention.
McLaren praises a “very interesting” approach
At McLaren, team principal Andrea Stella was particularly attentive to the design of Red Bull’s sidepods. According to him, the Austrian team adopted an approach that is both bold and smart on this specific point.
“For those interested in the technical side, we are in an extremely interesting phase” he explains.
He goes on to highlight the differences between team philosophies: “If you look at Red Bull’s sidepod concept, it is very different from that adopted by Mercedes or Ferrari, and even more so from that of McLaren.”
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A F1 still far from technical convergence
Stella believes that current Formula 1 is still in a phase of aerodynamic exploration, far from a standardization of solutions among teams. For him, this diversity is precisely what makes the current period exciting from a technical standpoint.
“There will be some form of convergence at some point, but for now we are still far from it” he added.
The McLaren director also explains that all teams will now analyze Red Bull’s choices in detail to understand their potential benefits. The Milton Keynes team would, according to him, have cleverly exploited certain grey areas of the regulations to introduce innovative solutions.
An engineering battle that is just beginning
For Andrea Stella, the current trend contrasts with previous seasons, where cars ended up looking more and more alike after a few years of stable regulations. Today, the situation remains open and concepts differ greatly from one team to another.
“We are still far from a convergence of designs” he concludes, emphasizing that the technical battle is only just beginning among the top teams on the grid.
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