Pierre Wache Identifies Red Bull's Weakness from Verstappen's GPS Data at COTA

Max Verstappen's GPS data from the initial practice sessions at the 2026 United States Grand Prix has given Red Bull's technical director, Pierre Wache, some food for thought. Despite Verstappen's recent winning streak, including victories in Malaysia and Singapore, and a second-place finish in the first practice at COTA, Wache has pinpointed areas needing improvement.

Verstappen, a four-time F1 champion, arrived at the Circuit of the Americas with a spring in his step, having performed admirably in recent races. His pace was close to the top in both practice sessions, trailing only Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by a narrow margin. Yet, while the Dutchman was competitive in high-speed sections, his GPS data revealed Red Bull's struggles in low-speed corners.

"We need to focus primarily on performance in slow corners; those slow corners are the key for us," Wache stated, highlighting a critical area where the RB22 must improve. The team also has to manage the infamous bumps of COTA, which have been a persistent headache despite efforts to smooth the track. Verstappen himself labeled the bumps "unacceptable" last year, and they remain a concern.

During FP2, Verstappen's best lap of 1:35.480 seconds on the soft C4 Pirelli tyres left him trailing Leclerc's 1:35.291. Leclerc gained time over Verstappen particularly in the second and third sectors, with the third sector featuring the most challenging slow corners like Turns 13 and 15. Although Verstappen improved somewhat in these areas, he still lost ground in faster sections like Turns 18 and 19.

The setup of the RB22, which hasn't changed significantly in terms of stiffness from last year, continues to struggle with the circuit's surface. Wache acknowledged that while they aren't as stiff as before, the car still doesn't handle the bumps well. This issue was compounded by Verstappen's teammate, Isack Hadjar, finding the car "undriveable" during FP2 due to unexpected tyre degradation.

As the Red Bull team prepares for the race weekend, addressing these handling issues in slow-speed corners and managing tyre wear will be crucial. Verstappen's initial strong showing in practice provides a solid foundation, but fine-tuning the balance of the RB22 will be essential to keep up with Ferrari, who are proving formidable this weekend.