Red Bull’s engine data spells ‘big trouble’ for Max Verstappen’s 2026 resurgence hopes

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Max Verstappen’s frustrations with the 2026 F1 regulations go hand in hand with the sub-optimal performance of Red Bull’s RB22, and it’s looking likely that he won’t be receiving any boosts on the power unit side of things.

With three rounds of racing now complete, Max Verstappen has officially had the worst start to a Formula 1 campaign since his rookie season in 2015. The Dutchman currently sits ninth in the drivers’ standings, some 60 points off the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli.

After coming just two points away from securing a fifth consecutive world title last year, Verstappen has found himself in a relatively unique position during his 12th season of racing in the pinnacle of single-seater motor racing.

As such, team boss Laurent Mekies has admitted that Red Bull are now paying the price for their lengthy upgrade roadmap that came in the second half of the 2025 term, and Verstappen’s performances are now looking unlikely to improve as the current season ensues.

• READ MORE: Max Verstappen doesn’t see himself as part of Red Bull’s ‘fabric’ like Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

Red Bull are likely to miss out on the FIA’s ADUO programme

A recent post from Formula Data Analysis broke down the current pecking order of F1’s five engine manufacturers to give a clearer picture of which teams we can expect to benefit from the FIA’s new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) programme.

Of course, Mercedes currently lead the rest of their rivals with a horsepower benchmark of around 576hp.

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Now, the way ADUO works is that any engine deemed to be at a 2% deficit to the best-in-class power unit is given the opportunity to introduce one additional upgrade. Any power units that are at a 4% deficit are granted two additional upgrade tokens instead.

Red Bull are currently understood to be teetering on the edge of the 2% limit, with data from the first three rounds of the season putting them just one horsepower over the 564hp threshold that would allow for an upgrade.

The RBPT engine is the only power unit to be so close to the Silver Arrows, with the rest of the engine manufacturers sitting below the 4% threshold.

According to Formula Data Analysis’s readings, Ferrari’s power unit produces around 547hp, with Audi’s at 545hp and Honda sitting well below them with 519hp.

• READ MORE: Jos Verstappen was right all along about Red Bull’s F1 team ‘falling apart’

Red Bull’s impressive engine data magnifies the RB22’s chassis issues

With Red Bull and Racing Bulls unlikely to receive any boosts on the power unit side of things this season, their chassis development is all the more crucial.

Liam Lawson’s data from the Chinese Grand Prix showcases how the VCARB03 is actually utilising the RBPT engine more efficiently, further indicating that Red Bull’s weight issues are severely hindering them.

The latest readings have Verstappen’s F1 car at 10kg over the minimum weight that is stipulated in the 2026 regulations, and it has been suggested that it costs Red Bull’s drivers around three to four tenths per lap.

What’s more, Red Bull aren’t expected to shed the excess weight on the RB22 until the summer break at the very least, which indicates a couple more months of frustrations for Verstappen in the midfield.