Red Bull's RB22 labeled 'undriveable and dangerous' after Japanese GP struggles

Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar delivered a damning verdict on the team's RB22 car after the Japanese Grand Prix, describing it as "really, really undriveable – it even was dangerous." While Hadjar outqualified teammate Max Verstappen, his race unraveled, finishing 12th as Verstappen salvaged points in eighth after a frustrating battle stuck behind an Alpine. The stark contrast between qualifying and race performance, coupled with both drivers' struggles, points to fundamental issues with the car's race pace and drivability.

Why it matters:

For a team with Red Bull's championship pedigree, such severe criticism from its own drivers about the car's basic handling and safety is a major red flag. It suggests deep-seated performance problems that go beyond simple setup issues, potentially eroding driver confidence and complicating development direction. If the car is genuinely difficult and unpredictable to drive in race conditions, it undermines the team's ability to consistently score points and develop the package effectively throughout the season.

The details:

• Hadjar's Harsh Assessment: After finishing 12th, Isack Hadjar stated the car's lack of pace was expected but the reality was worse, culminating in his "undriveable" and "dangerous" comments. He highlighted a critical lack of understanding, noting, "The only positive right now is that I can drive the car fast. But we have no lead on how we can make the car fast."
• Verstappen's Frustrating Race: Max Verstappen's race was defined by an inability to pass Pierre Gasly's Alpine, despite having comparable or slightly better pace. He explained that overtaking attempts were futile due to immediate battery depletion on straights, leaving him vulnerable to being re-passed.
• Qualifying vs. Race Paradox: The weekend highlighted a confusing performance split. Hadjar excelled in qualifying, beating Verstappen who was surprisingly knocked out in Q2. However, this single-lap performance completely vanished during the race, indicating the car's setup or characteristics are not translating from low-fuel qualifying runs to heavy-fuel race conditions.
• Strategic Impotence: Verstappen's account revealed a race where strategy was neutralized. With overtaking nearly impossible, his only hope was to pressure Gasly into an error or greater tire wear, neither of which happened, showcasing the car's limitations in wheel-to-wheel combat.

What's next:

Red Bull's engineering team faces urgent and significant work to diagnose and rectify the RB22's race-day flaws. The priority will be understanding the root cause of the severe drivability issues described by Hadjar and the lack of race pace relative to qualifying.

• The team must determine if the problems are aerodynamic, mechanical, or related to the power unit's deployment characteristics in race trim.
• Upcoming races will be a critical test of Red Bull's ability to react. Failure to improve the car's consistency and drivability could see them fall further behind in the midfield battle, putting pressure on both drivers and the technical department to find solutions before the season slips away.