Red Bull Racing RB18
| Company type | Formula One car |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorsport |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Red Bull Racing |
| Products | Formula One racing car |
| Parent | Red Bull Racing |
The Red Bull Racing RB18 is a Formula One car engineered by Red Bull Racing specifically for the 2022 Formula One World Championship. Piloted by reigning world champion Max Verstappen alongside teammate Sergio Pérez, the RB18 was instrumental in helping Verstappen clinch his second straight Drivers' Championship. Additionally, Red Bull secured their fifth Constructors' Championship title, ending a drought that dated back to 2013.
Equipped with the Honda-supplied Red Bull RBPTH001 hybrid V6 turbo engine and incorporating sophisticated kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems designed by Red Bull Powertrains, the RB18 merged state-of-the-art technology with aerodynamic innovation under the guidance of Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey. This synergy resulted in an impressive campaign featuring 17 victories and 28 podium finishes across 22 races.
Among Adrian Newey’s portfolio, the RB18 stands out as one of his most triumphant creations, only surpassed by its successor, the Red Bull Racing RB19. This car represents a pivotal achievement in Red Bull’s Formula One technical development and competitive approach.
Opening rounds
The RB18 made its first appearance at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, where drivers Max Verstappen, the defending World Champion, and Sergio Pérez qualified second and fourth respectively. Verstappen encountered issues with brake overheating and a broken steering column following his second pit stop, ultimately retiring on lap 54 due to a fuel lock malfunction; Pérez experienced a spin on the final lap caused by the same fuel issue. This race marked Red Bull’s first double retirement since the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix.
During the Saudi Arabia event, Pérez achieved his first career pole position while Verstappen qualified fourth, citing insufficient grip. At race start, Verstappen quickly advanced to third place as Pérez took an early lead. A safety car triggered by Nicholas Latifi’s crash allowed Leclerc, Verstappen, and Sainz to make low-cost pit stops, gaining track position ahead of Pérez. Verstappen seized the lead on lap 47 and maintained it to secure the RB18’s initial victory of the season; Pérez concluded the race in fourth.
The Australian GP presented difficulties for Red Bull. Verstappen qualified second behind Leclerc, with Pérez in third. Both drivers struggled with early tyre graining. Verstappen pitted on lap 17 but retired on lap 39 due to a fuel leak. Pérez climbed to second place after overtaking Hamilton, Alonso, and Russell but finished more than 20 seconds behind Leclerc.
Ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP, Red Bull introduced weight-reduction upgrades. In rain-affected qualifying, Verstappen secured his first pole position of the season; Pérez qualified seventh after red flags disrupted his session. Verstappen won the sprint race by overtaking Leclerc, while Pérez recovered to finish third. During the main event, Pérez passed Leclerc for second place and held position as Verstappen dominated en route to victory and a grand slam—marking Red Bull’s first 1-2 finish since the 2016 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix.
At the Miami GP, Verstappen encountered overheating and hydraulic problems during practice but managed to qualify third behind Ferraris Leclerc and Sainz; Pérez qualified fourth. Verstappen took control of the race lead by lap 10. On lap 20, Pérez faced a sensor malfunction that reduced his straight-line speed despite a quick fix. A late safety car period allowed Pérez to switch to fresh tyres; he pressured Sainz but ultimately finished fourth. Verstappen successfully defended against Leclerc to claim victory.
European and Canadian rounds
Red Bull implemented additional RB18 enhancements at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, focusing on lowering chassis mass. Verstappen and Pérez qualified in 2nd and 5th positions respectively, with Verstappen encountering a DRS malfunction during Q3. Early in the race, Pérez overtook Sainz to move into 4th place. Verstappen lost multiple positions after sliding into the gravel due to gusty winds. Although DRS problems recurred sporadically, well-timed pit stops enabled Pérez to take the lead on lap 31, while Verstappen closed the gap swiftly. Following team instructions, Pérez yielded to Verstappen, resulting in Red Bull's second 1-2 finish of the year and securing top spots in both driver and constructor championships.
At Monaco, the RB18 faced challenges in cornering performance relative to Ferrari’s F1-75, with Pérez and Verstappen qualifying behind Ferrari’s front-row lockout on the second row. Rain during the race day allowed Red Bull to execute an undercut on Leclerc through strategic use of intermediate and hard tyres. Pérez claimed his first victory of the season, while Verstappen finished third, further extending their championship leads.
In Azerbaijan, despite Ferrari securing pole position, Red Bull’s superior top-speed enabled Pérez to seize the lead at the start. Following Sainz’s retirement and Leclerc’s pit stop under a Virtual Safety Car, Verstappen overtook Pérez on lap 15 as per team orders. Leclerc’s engine failure on lap 20 guaranteed a Red Bull 1-2 finish. Both drivers managed tyre wear and pace effectively to secure the win and fastest lap, significantly increasing their championship advantages.
During the Canadian Grand Prix, Verstappen earned pole by a margin of 0.645 seconds; meanwhile, Pérez crashed in qualifying and retired early due to gearbox complications. Verstappen successfully defended his lead against Sainz to take victory.
Ahead of the British Grand Prix, Red Bull introduced revised engine cover bodywork. Although free practice showed strong pace, wet qualifying conditions placed Verstappen 2nd and Pérez 4th. Race incidents at the restart shuffled grid positions; Verstappen briefly led before floor damage necessitated a pit stop that dropped him to 7th place. Pérez recovered impressively to finish 2nd after overtaking Hamilton and Leclerc. Despite these challenges, Red Bull preserved their championship leads.
At Austria, Verstappen secured pole position by just 0.029 seconds; however, Pérez was demoted from 4th to 13th due to track limits violations. Verstappen won the sprint race; on race day, Pérez retired following contact damage while Verstappen experienced tyre degradation. Leclerc passed Verstappen twice en route to victory; Verstappen finished second. Pérez slipped to third in the standings but Red Bull maintained their lead in both championships.
For the French Grand Prix, Red Bull opted for low downforce setups prioritizing straight-line speed but sacrificed cornering performance compared to Ferrari. Leclerc achieved pole position; Verstappen qualified second with Pérez third. After Leclerc crashed under safety car conditions, Verstappen led comfortably to win while Pérez finished fourth after losing podium positions late in the race.
At the Belgian Grand Prix, starting from 14th due to engine penalties, Verstappen surged forward to lead by lap 12 after overtaking key competitors and executing well-timed pit stops. Pérez recovered from early difficulties to finish second behind Verstappen in a commanding Red Bull one-two finish; Sainz completed the podium.
These tactical upgrades combined with strong race performances reinforced Red Bull’s dominance across European circuits during this segment of the season.
Full Formula One Race Results
| Season | Team | Engine supplier | Tyre manufacturer | Competitor | Grand Prix Events | Total Points | WCC pos. | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHR | SAU | AUS | EMI | MIA | ESP | MON | AZE | CAN | GBR | AUT | FRA | HUN | BEL | NED | ITA | SIN | JPN | USA | MXC | SAP | ABU | |||||||
| Template:F1 | Oracle Red Bull Racing | Red Bull RBPTH001 | Template:Pirelli | Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Sergio Pérez | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | Template:F1R2022 | 759 | 1st |
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† – Competitor did not complete the race but was classified for covering more than 90% of the total distance.