Red Bull show signs of recovery in Miami, but gaps remain after Sprint Qualifying in Miami

Red Bull entered the Miami Grand Prix weekend under pressure to demonstrate that their recent development push could reverse the performance slump that has defined the early phase of their 2026 season.

Friday’s Sprint Qualifying offered the first meaningful indication that progress is finally materialising. Max Verstappen delivered a far more competitive showing than in previous rounds, while Isack Hadjar reached SQ3 once again — though the Frenchman left the session deeply frustrated after finishing a full second behind his teammate.

The team’s heavily revised RB22B appears to have stabilised some of the car’s most unpredictable behaviours, particularly in medium‑ and low‑speed corners. But the deficit in high‑speed performance remains a defining limitation, and both drivers acknowledged that Red Bull still have significant work ahead.

For the first time in several races, Verstappen sounded cautiously encouraged by the direction of development. Asked how the car had improved, he replied: “It feels more together. Of course, there's still things that we are working on but it has been a really positive step for us.”

The Dutchman highlighted the scale of the progress relative to recent weekends. “Last few races we were like over a second behind. I would say we have almost halved that gap now, so that's positive. We're still very weak in the first sector, which is mainly high speed so we know we need to work on that.”

High-speed corners have been a persistent weakness for Red Bull since the start of the season, with the car lacking both stability and aerodynamic efficiency in fast direction changes.

Verstappen noted that while the issue remains, the rest of the lap is beginning to come together. “The rest seemed a bit more together, so a bit happier with that, at least it seems like we have cleared a little bit the midfield.”

Crucially, Verstappen also reported that the RB22B is finally behaving in a way that allows him to push with more confidence — something that has been missing since the opening round. “It feels a bit more normal [to drive], a bit more together. Still not where I want it to be obviously but it's at least allowing me to trust it a bit more and I can take a bit more lap time out of it.”

While Red Bull are not yet in contention for pole, the team’s internal target for Miami was to re‑establish themselves as clear leaders of the midfield and reduce the gap to the front. On that metric, Verstappen’s assessment suggests the team is moving in the right direction.

Isack Hadjar reached SQ3 for the second consecutive weekend, but the Frenchman’s mood after qualifying ninth was one of confusion and irritation. Despite a smooth session, he found himself a full second behind Verstappen — an unusually large gap given his strong intra‑team performances so far this season.

“It was smooth at least,” Hadjar said. “Got through into SQ3 which is a start but then to be a second off, I don't know why. I've never been more than a tenth off so far this year when it mattered, I don't know what's going on.”

Hadjar’s frustration reflects both his own high expectations and the unusual nature of the deficit. Throughout 2026, he has consistently qualified within a narrow margin of Verstappen, often outperforming him in sessions where the RB22B was at its most unpredictable. His comment — “I know how to drive” — underscores his belief that the issue lies not in execution but in setup or car behaviour.