Sports
Better for whom? Palmeiras and Santos draw in lively derby
Palmeiras and Santos battle to a 1-1 draw in an exciting derby!
Yahoo Sports1 min read
F1
Max Verstappen "no longer a passenger" as improved Red Bull yields Miami F1 front row
TL;DR
Max Verstappen praises Red Bull's upgrades in Miami, stating he can now push the RB22 instead of just being a passenger. The team has improved its performance after a challenging start to the 2026 season.
Key points
- Max Verstappen praises Red Bull's upgrades in Miami
- The RB22 was difficult to balance at the start of the season
- Red Bull's performance improved significantly after upgrades
- Verstappen can now push the car instead of being a passenger
Max VerstappenIsack HadjarRed BullF1
Motorsport photo
Max Verstappen says Red Bull's swift turnaround in Miami following a poor start to the 2026 season is "incredible", as the team rolled out upgrades that allowed the four-time world champion to push the RB22 instead of "being a passenger".
Red Bull looked to have missed the mark with a 2026 challenger that proved impossible to balance over the opening rounds of the season, leaving bothĀ Verstappen and new team-mate Isack Hadjar adrift of the frontrunners, and behind the likes of Haas in the constructors' standings.
But a deeper understanding of the RB22's inherent weaknesses and a first upgrade push in Miami have resulted in a car that appears much more poised.
In the hands of Verstappen that resulted in a first front-row start. The Dutchman's previous best 2026 qualifying effort before this weekend was eighth in Japan, although Hadjar did claim third on the grid at the opening round in Australia when several rival teams struggled to optimise their new power units.
After taking fifth in Saturday's sprint,Ā Verstappen's final qualifying effort bumped him ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to grab second behind triple polesitter Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes, just two tenths off the Italian championship leader's benchmark.
Read Also:
Q&A
What upgrades did Red Bull implement for the Miami F1 race?
Red Bull introduced significant upgrades that improved the balance and performance of the RB22, allowing drivers to be more competitive.
How did Max Verstappen's performance change after the upgrades?
Verstappen noted that he could now actively push the car rather than feeling like a passenger, indicating a marked improvement in handling.
What challenges did Red Bull face at the beginning of the 2026 season?
Red Bull struggled with a poorly balanced RB22, which left both Verstappen and Isack Hadjar behind the frontrunners in the constructors' standings.
Who is Isack Hadjar and what is his role in the Red Bull team?
Isack Hadjar is Max Verstappen's new teammate at Red Bull, who faced similar challenges with the RB22 during the early races of the 2026 season.