The FIA is prepping a change to Formula 1’s technical regulations for 2027 that could force Red Bull Racing to redesign a section of the RB22. According to information from AutoRacer.it, disclosed by Rosario Giuliana, the governing body intends to close an aerodynamic loophole that the team has exploited this season.
This solution involves the geometry of the sidepods, the car’s side surfaces. The feature was introduced by Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix in June, taking advantage of a particular interpretation of the rules concerning the shape of these surfaces. If the modification is confirmed as described, the team would need to revisit the design for the upcoming season.
The FIA’s technical expert, Craig Scarborough, explained that the regulations impose a minimum radius on the edges of the sidepods, although sharper shapes are desirable from an aerodynamic standpoint. Red Bull would have circumvented part of that limitation by using a floor support, made up of a cable that traces the upper edge of the car’s sidebody.
According to Scarborough, the rules allow the bodywork adjacent to this component to have a radius of only 20 millimetres. It is precisely this dimension that the FIA intends to reduce, according to AutoRacer.it’s investigation; the limit would drop from 20 mm to 5 mm, scrapping the possibility of maintaining the current solution in 2027.
The potential change comes at a moment when Red Bull is on a comeback. Max Verstappen won the last two races, in Malaysia and Singapore, and attributed the recent progress to an improvement in the car’s behavior: “Our car has taken a very good step forward. It has become easier to drive and more predictable,” he said after the Singapore victory.
The Dutch driver also highlighted the work to address RB22’s deficiencies over the year. Despite the recent results, Verstappen said the team is not in contention for the title and intends to keep chasing podiums and fresh victories through to the end of the current season.
