Red Bull have finally fixed the problem Max Verstappen noticed on the first lap of winter testing

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Max Verstappen produced a huge shock at the Miami Grand Prix as he put his upgraded RB22 on the front row. Red Bull’s changes to the steering system have fixed a long-standing issue.

Verstappen will start second behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, marking a stunning improvement from the four-time champion and Red Bull. He had been struggling with the RB22 and the change in regulations.

Four different teams in the top spots in qualifying for the Miami GP… But who’s taking the win? 🏆

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Having scored just 12 points in the opening three races, Verstappen came to the Miami Grand Prix with significant upgrades to the car. Red Bull ‘halved’ the RB22’s weight issues, which has evidently improved performance.

Verstappen stuck his car on the front row of the grid for the first time this season. It was an unexpected result, given Red Bull’s struggles at the start of the year, and it was a testament to the changes they have made to the RB22, including with the steering system.

Red Bull have fixed Max Verstappen’s steering issues that he noticed in Barcelona testing

Verstappen told journalist Ronald Vording in his Dutch media session that the ‘main factor’ for his success in Miami was the steering. Red Bull have changed the whole system, with the four-time champion admitting he noticed it back in winter testing.

Vording said via Autosport: “He said it’s not just about the performance, it’s also about me feeling more comfortable in the car. And then I asked him, ‘OK, what’s been the main factor in that?’ And Max said, steering, the steering system.

“He said, ‘We found out during the break that something was wrong with the steering system.’ Red Bull managed to fix it for this weekend, and that gives Max a lot more confidence behind the wheel and means he can push the limits a lot more than he could in the first three race weekends.

Miami GP start time changed ⛈️ Lights out is now 3 hours earlier than scheduled 🏎️

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“Of course, the obvious follow-up question is, why did Red Bull not find out earlier? Why didn’t they spot that, let’s say, in Bahrain already? And Max Verstappen said, ‘Well, that’s a good question because I already felt that something was off during the very first lap in the Barcelona testing week.’

“Max said, ‘I already felt something was wrong, but it was a lot more complicated to first of all find the exact cause and secondly to implement a fix for it.’

“Red Bull made some drastic changes over the April break. Pierre Wache, the technical director, told me they changed the whole steering rack, but also all the supporting components that come with it. And in doing so, they finally got the solution.”

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Is Max Verstappen finally getting to grips with Red Bull’s 2026 car?

The difficult start to the 2026 season prompted huge doubts around Verstappen’s future in F1, as he admitted he was considering leaving the sport over the regulation changes. However, Miami has given him newfound confidence.

Verstappen sees ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ at Red Bull after his strong showing in qualifying. The upgrades to the steering, floor and sidepods have dramatically improved his performance.

In the Sprint, the Dutchman battled hard with Lewis Hamilton and finished a decent P5. Martin Brundle saw Verstappen starting to trust his car during the race, and he will be looking to have another good performance on Sunday.