Red Bull Racing has identified the likely cause of Max Verstappen’s handling problems at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with a post-race investigation pointing to a ride-height adjustment made in response to the wet conditions. The precaution was intended to reduce the risk of aquaplaning, but it came at a significant aerodynamic cost: the RB22 lost downforce from its floor, leaving Verstappen struggling with the car for much of the race.
Verstappen still produced an impressive recovery to finish second after starting 21st, having taken an engine-related grid penalty. Yet the result did little to disguise his frustration. The Dutchman had made clear over team radio that the car’s balance had become extremely difficult to manage, and Red Bull’s subsequent analysis has now offered an explanation for the problem.
Verstappen’s frustration despite a remarkable recovery
The Red Bull driver made rapid progress through the field in the wet conditions at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. His pace initially put him in contention near the front, but as the race developed he became increasingly unhappy with the behaviour of the RB22. At one stage, Verstappen was even losing ground relative to team-mate Isack Hadjar.
Second place was an outstanding result considering the penalty and his starting position. However, Verstappen’s radio message showed why he viewed the afternoon as more complicated than the final classification suggested.
“My God, driving such a shitty car for 85 percent of the race. Of course a second place is good, but not like this. I’m sorry, but what a disaster to drive. Unbelievable. I have never experienced anything like this. Not on a dry track and not on a wet track. Really very bad.”
The strength of that reaction prompted Red Bull to examine why the car’s balance had deteriorated so markedly. According to GP33’s report, the team’s investigation traced the issue to a set-up decision made before the race weekend’s competitive sessions.
Why Red Bull raised the RB22’s ride height
Heavy rain before qualifying influenced Red Bull’s decision to increase the ride height of Verstappen’s car. In wet conditions, raising the floor can provide additional clearance between the car and the track surface, helping reduce the danger of aquaplaning when standing water is present.
It was a precaution with a clear purpose. When a Formula 1 car encounters significant water, maintaining sufficient clearance is important because the floor can otherwise be exposed to conditions that compromise its contact with the airflow beneath the chassis. A higher ride height can help manage that risk.
However, the adjustment also altered the aerodynamic platform on which the RB22 depends. The floor is a major source of downforce in modern Formula 1, and changing its position relative to the track can reduce the performance it generates. GP33 reports that Red Bull concluded the increased ride height had caused a substantial loss of floor-generated downforce.
That loss provides a plausible explanation for the balance problems Verstappen described. The car was not delivering the aerodynamic support he expected, making it harder to maintain confidence and consistent pace as the conditions and race evolved.
A safety precaution with an expensive performance trade-off
Red Bull’s decision was not necessarily unreasonable when viewed in isolation. The team had to prepare the car for a wet qualifying session and manage the possibility of standing water. The difficulty was the compromise that followed: a set-up change designed to reduce one risk appears to have left Verstappen with a car that was significantly less effective over a race distance.
The result also highlights how sensitive modern ground-effect cars can be to ride height. Small changes in the relationship between the floor and the track can have a meaningful effect on aerodynamic performance, particularly when teams are operating within a narrow set-up window.
Verstappen’s second place therefore tells only part of the story. His recovery from 21st demonstrated his ability to extract a result in difficult circumstances, but the investigation suggests Red Bull had given him a car compromised by its own wet-weather precaution.
The team now has a clearer explanation for the complaints that followed the Brazilian Grand Prix. The challenge will be ensuring that a similar trade-off does not leave Verstappen fighting the balance of the RB22 again when conditions change.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
At TJ13, Treze covers driver performance, career developments, and key storylines across the Formula 1 grid, while also analysing the technical factors that influence competitiveness. This includes aerodynamic development trends, simulation-driven design approaches, and the engineering decisions that shape race weekend outcomes.
His reporting bridges the gap between human performance and machine development, helping readers understand how driver execution and technical innovation interact in modern Formula 1. Coverage often connects on-track events with the underlying engineering philosophies that define each team’s approach.
With a global perspective shaped by both journalism and technical study, Thiago also focuses on Formula 1’s international reach and the different ways the sport is experienced across regions.
Treze has a particular interest in how Computational Fluid Dynamics and aerodynamic modelling contribute to car performance, offering accessible explanations of complex technical concepts within Formula 1.
