Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Max Verstappen caused notable damage to his Red Bull Racing car after a high-speed excursion during second practice for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit.
The four-time world champion lost control at Turn 10 during FP2 and slid into the gravel trap while building pace. Verstappen managed to avoid the barriers, preventing a more serious incident, but the impact through the gravel caused significant damage to the RB22’s floor.
As the car bounced through the gravel, pieces of carbon fibre were visibly torn from the underside of the car. Despite the damage, Verstappen returned to the pits and continued running during the session.
Assessing the incident, Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan acknowledged the team would have considerable repair work ahead.
“I’ll say there’s enough damage to keep us busy,” Monaghan explained.
“It’s recoverable. It’s nothing that drastic, but it was a bit of a thump, so we’ll tidy it up and go again.”
Verstappen still managed to finish sixth fastest at the end of the day, posting a lap time of 1:20.366. He was 0.637 seconds slower than session leader Oscar Piastri, who set the benchmark with a 1:19.729 for McLaren Formula 1 Team.
Piastri was one of only two drivers to record a lap under 1 minute 20 seconds. Behind him, rookie Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
Despite the incident, Monaghan expressed overall satisfaction with Red Bull’s early performance, particularly as the team is running its own power unit for the first time under the new regulations.
“Fantastic,” Monaghan said when reflecting on the team’s opening running.
“Brand new engine, our own, new car, new rules, and both cars left the pit lane at the start of FP1 and were competitive straight away.”
He also commented on Verstappen’s new team-mate Isack Hadjar, noting the rookie was still adapting to the car and the demands of the new Formula 1 era.
According to Monaghan, the team’s main focus now is improving consistency across both qualifying and race simulations as it continues refining the RB22 setup ahead of the opening race of the 2026 season.
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