A Red Bull driver is set to be disqualified from the Miami Grand Prix qualifying classifications over a technical breach.
Red Bull endured mixed results during Q3 on Saturday, with Max Verstappen posing a challenge for Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli in the race for pole position.
Verstappen finished second, putting his car on the front row after being unable to place higher than eighth in the previous three qualifying sessions in 2026.
Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar, who managed ninth place in the session, is set to be disqualified from the Miami Grand Prix qualifying classifications over a technical breach.
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The French-Algerian is likely to be stripped of his fifth row starting position after scrutineering revealed that Hadjar’s RB22 was illegal due to the dimension of the floorboard.
During the standard post-session check, the Red Bull’s floorboard was found to be protruding two millimetres beyond the dimension defined in the 2026 technical regulations.
FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer referred the findings to the stewards for consideration, describing non-compliance in the write-up of the Red Bull’s legality volumes.
"After the Qualifying, legality volumes were checked on car number 06. The lhs [left-hand side] and rhs [right-hand side] floor board were protruding 2mm out of the reference volume RV-FLOOR BOARD,” wrote Bauer.
“As this is not in compliance with Article C3.5.5 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulation, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration,” the delegate continued.
With disqualification now the likely outcome for Hadjar, his Red Bull would instead start Sunday’s race from the pit lane.
The 21-year-old, set to lose his ninth place on tomorrow’s starting grid, did not join in on Red Bull’s improved performance and “couldn’t put it all together” during the session, but praised Verstappen for the challenge he mounted against eventual pole-sitter Antonelli.
Speaking after Q3, Hadjar said: “The car was very hard to drive, it was very fast. In Q3 I just couldn't put it all together and on the other side we have no straight line speed.
“I think it's a very tricky track, very low grip with high track temperature… Max is very good at adapting to these conditions. In the corners I can tell you I've made big progress compared to yesterday. I just couldn't tidy up like he did and on top of that I'm missing in every straight,” said the French-Algerian.
The Miami Grand Prix will begin three hours earlier tomorrow, following a joint statement from FIA, F1 and the Miami Promoter.
Topics: Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Motorsport
Kedar Bayley