Verstappen feedback sparks Red Bull RB22 investigation, Newey team radio reaction – roundup
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in a press conference at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix
Sunday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Red Bull’s findings from an investigation into Max Verstappen’s complaints over an unusual ‘car degradation’ issue with RB22.
Let’s blast through the day’s main headlines at breakneck speed…
Red Bull confirms RB22 findings after Max Verstappen ‘degradation’ issues
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has admitted that Max Verstappen’s ‘car degradation’ issue with the RB22 will not be resolved before the end of the F1 2026 season.
Verstappen made the unusual complaint after qualifying in Hungary this season, with the four-time world champion unable to attack kerbs as hard as he would like due to concerns that components at the rear of the car could not take the punishment.
Describing it as a complex issue, Mekies said Red Bull has made progress in its understanding but does not yet have “all the solutions” in place.
Read more: Red Bull makes new admission over Max Verstappen ‘car degradation’ complaints
Aston Martin: Adrian Newey, Fernando Alonso team radio exchange ‘means a lot’
Aston Martin’s chief technical officer Enrico Cardile says the team radio exchange between Adrian Newey and Fernando Alonso at last month’s Dutch Grand Prix “means a lot” to the team.
Alonso was heard describing the upgraded AMR26 as “a very good car to drive” after claiming Aston Martin’s best result of the F1 2026 season at Zandvoort.
Cardile reckons Alonso’s comments prove that Aston Martin’s upgrades represented “a massive step” forward, improving the car’s characteristics as well as its performance level.
Read more: Aston Martin lifts lid on rare Newey, Alonso team radio exchange after ‘double step’
Toto Wolff backs FIA president in plan to help Fernando Alonso and Honda
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he has no issue with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s vow to help Fernando Alonso and Honda catch up under the new rules.
Ben Sulayem recently claimed “there is no way we can allow” Alonso to be driven away from F1 by a lack of competitiveness.
The FIA’s ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) scheme was introduced ahead of the F1 2026 season to help struggling manufacturers catch up.
Read more: Toto Wolff backs FIA intervention after Ben Sulayem’s Alonso rally cry
Should F1 change its VSC rules?
Lando Norris’s defeat at the recent Spanish Grand Prix sparked a debate about F1’s virtual safety car rules.
The McLaren driver had passed the pit lane when the VSC was deployed, allowing Kimi Antonelli to take advantage of a cheap pit stop and take the lead.
Norris questioned the fairness of the current VSC rules after the race in Madrid.
Read more: Does Formula 1 need to change its Virtual Safety Car rules?
Sebastian Vettel on Kimi Antonelli: ‘Records are there to be broken’
Sebastian Vettel says he welcomes the prospect of Kimi Antonelli breaking his record as the youngest-ever world champion in F1 2026.
Vettel was 23 when he became the sport’s youngest champion in 2010, the first of his four title-winning seasons with Red Bull.
Antonelli, who turned 20 last month, holds an 81-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell with a maximum of nine races remaining.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read more: Sebastian Vettel responds as Kimi Antonelli closes in on 16-year F1 record
