Red Bull Racing is preparing a fundamental technical shift for its 2026 Formula 1 challenger, according to emerging reports from the paddock. The Milton Keynes-based outfit is reportedly abandoning its longstanding front pullrod suspension philosophy in favour of a double pushrod setup for both axles on the RB22. The change marks a significant departure from the design language that has underpinned four consecutive constructors’ championships and signals the team’s willingness to embrace fresh thinking as the sport’s radical power unit and aerodynamic regulations arrive. Meanwhile, McLaren CEO Zak Brown delivered a series of candid remarks about his driver lineup, while speculation continues to swirl around Helmut Marko’s departure from Red Bull Racing earlier this month.
Red Bull eyes double pushrod layout for 2026 challenger
Red Bull Racing is set to overhaul its suspension architecture for the RB22, the machine that will contest the opening rounds of the 2026 season under the sport’s overhauled technical framework. Reports indicate the team is planning to adopt a pushrod suspension system at both the front and rear axles, a notable pivot from the pullrod configuration that has characterised the front end of its recent designs.
The pullrod setup has long been a Red Bull trademark, offering aerodynamic and packaging advantages that complemented the team’s aggressive floor philosophies. However, the 2026 regulations—featuring smaller, lighter power units and significantly revised aerodynamic rules—appear to have prompted a rethink. A double pushrod arrangement may offer greater flexibility in adapting to the new dimensional constraints and weight distribution targets mandated by the FIA.
Such a shift would align Red Bull more closely with the approach taken by several rival outfits, though the team’s engineering group under Pierre Waché has historically resisted following convention. The decision suggests confidence that the benefits of the new layout will outweigh the loss of familiarity and the development investment required to optimise an entirely fresh suspension concept.
Brown delivers pointed remarks on McLaren driver duo
Zak Brown, McLaren’s outspoken CEO, offered a characteristically blunt assessment of the team’s driver pairing during an end-of-year event. Brown emphasised the calculated risks McLaren took in assembling its current lineup, noting that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri arrived without the luxury of proven alternatives elsewhere on the grid.
Reflecting on Norris’s early tenure, Brown highlighted the pressure on the young Briton to outperform Stoffel Vandoorne, a benchmark that carried significant weight given Vandoorne’s pedigree. The message was clear: Norris had to deliver from the outset, and he did. Brown also referenced Piastri’s turbulent path to the team, alluding to the contractual dispute with Alpine that preceded the Australian’s arrival at Woking.
“Don’t act like you had better options,” Brown quipped, addressing both drivers in a tone that blended humour with hard truth. The comments underscore McLaren’s willingness to back emerging talent while making it clear that loyalty and performance are expected in return. The pair delivered a constructors’ championship in 2024, validating the team’s faith in youth over established names.
Former race director Masi returns to motorsport governance
Michael Masi, who departed Formula 1 following the controversial conclusion to the 2021 season, has secured a new role within motorsport administration. The Australian will serve as event director for the Repco NextGen NZ Championship in New Zealand, a position that carries responsibilities analogous to those he held during his tenure as FIA Formula 1 race director.
MotorSport New Zealand confirmed the appointment, which sees Masi return to a senior operational role after a prolonged absence from high-profile series governance. His involvement in the domestic championship offers a pathway back into race control, albeit at a significantly different scale and intensity than the global Formula 1 stage.
Masi’s departure from Formula 1 followed intense scrutiny of his decisions during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where a safety car restart procedure influenced the outcome of the drivers’ championship. The FIA subsequently restructured its race direction framework, introducing a more distributed model under the stewardship of Niels Wittich and later others.
Speculation mounts over Marko’s Red Bull exit
The sudden departure of Helmut Marko from Red Bull Racing has prompted a wave of conjecture in the paddock, with Dutch journalist Jack Plooij offering an alternative narrative to the official version. While Marko and the team characterised the separation as amicable and attributed it to a natural waning of the advisor’s drive, Plooij has suggested the exit was less voluntary than portrayed.
According to Plooij, Red Bull’s leadership grew concerned about the reputational impact of Marko’s public conduct, particularly among younger demographics that form a core part of the energy drink brand’s target audience. The implication is that Marko was encouraged to step aside rather than face a formal dismissal, allowing both parties to preserve dignity while severing a partnership that stretched across two decades.
Marko’s influence on Red Bull’s driver development programme and strategic direction has been profound, helping to identify and nurture talents including Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. His departure, regardless of the precise circumstances, marks the end of an era for Red Bull’s driver academy structure and raises questions about how the team will approach talent scouting in the years ahead.
Brown takes playful swipe at FIA president
Zak Brown also used the McLaren season review to reference a series of awkward moments involving FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Lando Norris. The governing body chief has been filmed on multiple occasions enthusiastically ruffling Norris’s hair, interactions that have drawn bemused reactions from observers and meme-level attention on social media.
Brown leaned into the running joke during his remarks, telling Norris: “Lando, you’ve been with us forever now. You were a mess when you arrived. What I want to do now is make a mess of your hair.” The line, delivered with evident comedic intent, drew laughter and served as a pointed commentary on the FIA president’s idiosyncratic behaviour in parc fermé and on podiums throughout the season.
The quip reflects broader paddock unease about Ben Sulayem’s public demeanour and decision-making style, which has at times placed him at odds with teams, drivers, and race promoters. Brown’s willingness to address the subject publicly signals a degree of frustration with the FIA’s recent handling of various controversies, though the McLaren CEO opted for humour rather than direct confrontation.
What this means going forward
Red Bull’s technical pivot for 2026 suggests the team is leaving no stone unturned in its pursuit of continued dominance under the next regulatory cycle. The suspension shift will require extensive simulation and testing, but the decision to commit this early indicates confidence in the underlying concept. For McLaren, Brown’s pointed comments reinforce a culture of accountability and ambition, with the team eyeing sustained competitiveness alongside Ferrari and Mercedes in the seasons ahead. Marko’s absence from Red Bull’s inner circle, meanwhile, represents the most significant personnel change at the team since Adrian Newey’s gradual step back from frontline design responsibilities. The void left by the Austrian’s departure will test the resilience of Red Bull’s senior management structure as it navigates the transition to a new technical era.
