In a scathing outburst that has rocked the Formula 1 paddock, Jos Verstappen has unleashed a blistering attack on Red Bull Racing’s struggling RB22, declaring the 2026 machine “beyond saving” and expressing deep embarrassment that his son, four-time world champion Max Verstappen, is forced to race it. The fiery Dutchman’s comments, delivered during a candid conversation with Dutch media, expose the growing crisis at Milton Keynes as the team finds itself mired near the back of the grid in the new regulatory era.

“This car is beyond saving. It’s embarrassing that they let my son Max Verstappen drive it,” Jos stated without hesitation. Once the dominant force in Formula 1, Red Bull now faces the harsh reality of a fundamentally flawed machine that has left Max battling for points rather than podiums. Jos’s intervention comes at a critical juncture, with the season still young but already slipping away.

Insiders report that the RB22 is widely regarded internally and across the paddock as one of the weakest cars on the grid, lagging behind not only traditional rivals like Mercedes and Ferrari but also surprise performers such as McLaren and even Aston Martin.

Jos did not stop at general criticism. He pointed to two specific “fatal” weaknesses that, in his view, render the RB22 almost undrivable at times. The first is a severe and unpredictable balance issue that swings violently between understeer and oversteer, making the car treacherous through high-speed corners. Max himself has repeatedly described the RB22 as “completely undrivable,” with qualifying sessions turning into survival exercises rather than competitive runs. Jos highlighted how these handling problems eliminate the “Max factor” — the instinctive brilliance that allowed his son to extract performance from lesser machinery in the past.

“You cannot trust a car that does the opposite of what you ask,” he added.

The second fatal flaw, according to Jos, lies in the integration of the new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford hybrid unit with the chassis. Despite the much-heralded in-house powerplant, the package suffers from poor energy deployment and a lack of downforce compared to rivals who adapted more effectively to the 2026 regulations. The car’s low-drag philosophy, once a strength, now leaves it deficient in medium- and high-speed corners where aerodynamic efficiency is paramount. Jos claimed these issues stem from a fundamental concept error made during the design phase, one that Red Bull’s engineers are now scrambling to rectify.

The Verstappen family’s frustration is palpable. Max has been vocal about the new generation of cars feeling like “Formula E on steroids,” and his father’s latest comments amplify those concerns while shifting focus squarely onto the team’s execution. Jos revealed that the RB22 is so far off the pace that senior figures within Red Bull are privately admitting the car is among the least competitive on the grid. This marks a dramatic fall from grace for a squad that won multiple titles with the RB19 and RB20.

With Max qualifying outside the top ten on multiple occasions and finishing races far from the front, the pressure on team principal Christian Horner and technical director Pierre Waché has reached boiling point.

Red Bull is now in a frantic race against time. Major upgrade packages are being fast-tracked for the next few rounds, including revised floor designs, new front wing concepts, and software updates to the power unit. Sources close to the team suggest some developments originally planned for mid-season are being brought forward in a desperate bid to stabilize the car before the European swing. Failure to deliver meaningful improvements could see the season “spiral out of control,” as Jos warned, potentially costing Red Bull not only championship hopes but also key personnel and sponsor confidence.

The wider implications stretch beyond one team. Jos’s comments have ignited debate about the 2026 regulations themselves, which many believe have homogenized performance while introducing handling quirks that punish aggressive driving styles. Yet for Red Bull, the problem is more acute because of the high expectations placed on their innovative power unit and chassis. Max’s teammate, Isack Hadjar, has also struggled, further highlighting systemic issues rather than individual shortcomings.

Fans and pundits have reacted with a mixture of shock and sympathy. Social media platforms erupted following the quotes, with many supporters echoing Jos’s sentiment that it is unacceptable for a driver of Max’s caliber to be handicapped by such a car. Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, though no longer with the team, has publicly noted the loss of trust in the RB22, stating that the “Max factor” disappears when the machinery cannot be relied upon.

For Jos Verstappen, a man who has guided his son’s career with uncompromising honesty, the criticism comes from a place of fierce protection. He has watched Max dominate for years and now sees a talented driver fighting inherent flaws rather than rivals. “It’s not about making excuses,” Jos emphasized. “It’s about calling things as they are so the team wakes up and fixes them.”

As the paddock heads into the next race weekends, all eyes will be on Red Bull’s updates. Can the multiple championship-winning outfit turn the RB22 around, or will Jos’s dire assessment prove prophetic? Max Verstappen remains contractually tied to the team, but the Dutch camp’s patience is not infinite. The 2026 season, meant to herald a new era of competitiveness, is instead delivering early drama centered on one of F1’s most iconic families.

The RB22’s troubles have exposed vulnerabilities in Red Bull’s transition to full in-house power, but they also offer an opportunity. If the team can diagnose and cure the two fatal weaknesses Jos identified, the comeback story could be legendary. For now, however, the situation remains precarious. Jos Verstappen has thrown down the gauntlet — the question is whether Red Bull can pick it up before the season slips irretrievably away.