F1: Ex-Ferrari Insider Criticizes Red Bull, Backs Verstappen’s Claims

August 8, 2026

Red Bull closed the first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season still without a win. After 11 rounds, the Milton Keynes squad narrowed the gap to the leaders of the standings and showed progress in the recent races. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen crossed the finish line ahead of the two Mercedes drivers, who lead the championship.

Even with the gradual improvement in performance, the team continues to face criticism. The sharp analysis came from Rob Smedley, a former Ferrari mechanic, who judged that Red Bull’s performance is well below what is expected this season, precisely in a year when the team also faces the reality of acting as a power unit supplier.

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Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB22.

During his appearance on the High Performance podcast, the British engineer stated that Red Bull still needs to fix issues that he described as basic. According to Smedley, the difficulties faced by the team reflect a scenario that Max Verstappen had already pointed out throughout the season: “Red Bull should simply be going much better,” he said. “Like, they’ve had many basic problems, as Max says, there’s a different one each weekend or something like that,” Smedley stated.

In the assessment of the former Ferrari member, the recurring issues underscore a start to the championship that has fallen short of expectations for the Austrian team. Throughout the season, Verstappen had also suggested that Red Bull faces different difficulties each weekend, a scenario highlighted by Smedley during the interview.

Jake Thompson

I'm Jake Thompson, a motorsport journalist born and raised in North Carolina, where NASCAR weekends were basically family holidays. I’ve been covering everything from Formula 1 to rally raids for over a decade, blending sharp analysis with a fan’s heart. For me, writing about racing isn’t just a job — it’s the best seat in the house.