Red Bull's Ride Woes: Verstappen's Backache Ahead of Monaco

Verstappen’s Backache: The RB20’s Bumpy Ride

Max Verstappen didn’t hold back after the Canadian Grand Prix. The behaviour of his Red Bull over bumps and kerbs remains one of its most significant weaknesses. This is a persistent issue for the Austrian outfit, one that has lingered for years and, despite a completely new technical regulation, is proving difficult to shake.

“Anywhere the track is bumpy, it’s going to be difficult for us,” the Dutchman admitted in Montreal. “It’s linked to our current car philosophy, how we set it up to absorb bumps versus the downforce level. It’s not optimal yet. It was a bit better in Miami, but of course, the track there was less bumpy. That makes it easier for us to find the right set-up.”

On the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, aggressive use of the kerbs was already a significant factor, particularly in qualifying. But the streets of Monaco present a challenge of an entirely different magnitude. When the weekend in the Principality was mentioned, Verstappen chuckled: “Ah yes, that’s going to be great. I think I’ll order a new back!” It’s a quip that masks genuine concern.

Monaco: The Ultimate Test for a Fickle Red Bull

Red Bull's Ride Woes: Verstappen's Backache Ahead of Monaco

The Austrian team continues to encounter similar difficulties this season. During the ground effect era, these problems were particularly visible due to the extremely low and stiff cars mandated by the regulations. While current F1 cars rely less heavily on ride height, the issue seems to persist.

Verstappen himself admits to being surprised that these difficulties have been a long-standing issue at Red Bull. “If only we knew exactly what causes them. I have a few ideas, and that’s what we’ll be working on,” explains the four-time world champion.

Laurent Mekies: “Nothing Unfixable in 2026”

The obvious question now is how quickly these problems can be resolved, especially if, as Verstappen suggests, they are linked to the very philosophy of the RB20. When asked by Motorsport.com whether these difficulties could be addressed this season, or if it’s a structural problem that will have to wait until 2027, Laurent Mekies, the team’s new director, sounded reassuring.

“At this stage, we don’t see anything that cannot be fixed in 2026,” he stated. The team principal added that the challenge for the engineers is to find the right balance. Red Bull wants to resolve these handling issues only if it can be done without compromising outright performance.

The Quest for an Ideal Compromise

The aim is to have a car that is competitive on all types of circuits, rather than one that performs well only in certain conditions. “The guys are doing all possible analyses at the factory to find a solution that not only fixes these issues but also brings performance,” explained the Frenchman. “Because it would probably be quite easy to fix these flaws while making the car slower. What we want is to fix them while gaining performance. It’s a complex problem.”

Red Bull’s Unwavering Faith in Problem-Solving

Despite everything, Mekies remains convinced that Red Bull can continue to make progress throughout the season. These advancements could prove invaluable later in the year on circuits like Baku, Singapore, or Las Vegas, where managing bumps and kerbs is paramount. “We like complex problems. We have a lot of them, and I am convinced that, in the same way we managed to solve fundamental issues from the start of the season, we will manage to solve a few more.”

Key Takeaways on Red Bull’s Situation:

The Red Bull RB20 continues to suffer from a lack of comfort and performance on bumpy circuits and kerbs.
This recurring problem for Red Bull has not been resolved despite the change in technical regulations.
Max Verstappen has expressed his frustration and concern, particularly with the Monaco Grand Prix approaching.
The team, under Laurent Mekies, states it is working on solutions aimed not only at correcting the car’s behaviour but also at improving its overall performance.
Red Bull appears confident in its ability to solve these complex issues before the end of the 2026 season.