Major Red Bull upgrade questioned following Suzuka struggle

Red Bull has turned to Suzuka's demanding layout to trial substantial aerodynamic modifications on the RB22, but early indications suggest Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar's car remains a handful despite the development push.

The Japanese circuit presents the perfect laboratory for aerodynamic evaluation, with its mix of high-speed sweepers, rapid direction changes and the notorious 130R corner providing a comprehensive test of car balance across virtually every corner type found in Formula 1.

Red Bull's technical team has seized this opportunity to introduce significant changes to the RB22's sidepod configuration, completely revising both the inlet section and the distinctive undercut profile beneath the pods.

The most notable alteration involves an extension of the undercut area positioned below the sidepod inlets' lower edge. 

This modification creates a considerably more linear profile compared to the season-opening specification, fundamentally changing how airflow manages the journey along the sidepods' lower sections before reaching the rear coke-bottle region.

Simultaneously, the engine cover has undergone a substantial revision, featuring a dramatically more tapered design towards the rear section. These changes represent Red Bull's ongoing battle to optimise the aerodynamic balance that continues to elude the RB22.

Despite the fresh aerodynamic package, both Verstappen and Hadjar's machines appeared to struggle notably through medium-speed and high-speed sections during practice sessions. 

The car demonstrated excessive sensitivity to setup adjustments, highlighting one of the RB22's most problematic characteristics: its tendency towards rapid behavioural variations that create instability and compromise lap times.

The issues appear to extend beyond simple aerodynamic mapping problems. Sources suggest the troubles stem from inadequate integration between the car's dynamic response, particularly the suspension system, and the load variations created by aerodynamic distribution changes across different track sections.

The situation underscores that Red Bull's technical team in Milton Keynes still lacks a complete understanding of the RB22's complex behaviour patterns, despite their extensive development efforts throughout the campaign so far.