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Max Verstappen and Red Bull are finally finding their stride in Formula 1, with back-to-back Grand Prix victories in Malaysia (Bahrain GP) and Singapore marking a major turnaround for the team. But just as Verstappen’s momentum is building, Red Bull is reportedly set to receive bad news: the FIA is moving to close an aerodynamic loophole the team exploited this season, forcing it to rethink part of its 2027 car design. Audi, which later adopted a similar solution, could also be affected.
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The development comes just before the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend in Austin. However, as aforementioned, the reported restriction is aimed at next season’s cars rather than an immediate change to the current regulations. According to Rosario Giuliana of the Italian publication AutoRacer.it, the FIA plans to reduce the permitted dimension associated with a floor support from 20mm to just 5mm, closing the regulatory opening that enabled Red Bull’s design.
How Red Bull Found the Aerodynamic Loophole
The concept centers on the Floor Body Stay, a structural support running along the lower side of the car. Red Bull found a way to use the component’s position within the regulations to create more aggressive geometry along the lower section of its sidepods.
That shape matters because the sidepods help manage airflow around the car and direct it toward the floor, which is crucial to generating aerodynamic performance. The technical regulations prescribe minimum radii for certain bodywork surfaces, limiting how sharply teams can shape those areas. Red Bull’s interpretation of the rules allowed it to work around that restriction by using the floor support as part of the design solution.
The configuration first appeared on the RB22 at the Austrian Grand Prix. Technical analyst Craig Scarborough subsequently highlighted the concept, drawing attention to how Red Bull had used the wording of the regulations to create a sharper lower-sidepod profile. Audi later adopted a similar approach at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. That development showed how quickly a technical idea can spread through the grid when rivals believe it offers a potential advantage.
FIA’s 5mm Limit Could Force a Redesign
The proposed change would reduce the relevant floor-support dimension from 20mm to 5mm for the 2027 season. That would remove the allowance underpinning the current configuration and require Red Bull and Audi to revise the lower section of their sidepods.
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For Red Bull, the challenge will be finding another way to achieve the desired airflow without relying on the same interpretation of the rules. Even when a design remains legal under the regulations in force, a subsequent rule change can erase the advantage and force teams to spend engineering resources on a replacement.
The timing also matters. With teams already developing their 2027 cars, a change to a key aerodynamic area could influence design decisions well before the new season begins. However, the extent of the performance impact cannot yet be quantified from the available reporting.
What the FIA’s Move Means for Red Bull
Formula 1 has a long history of teams finding opportunities in the technical regulations and rivals copying those solutions before the governing body closes the opening. The reported Red Bull change follows that familiar pattern: an innovative interpretation appears, another team adopts it, and the FIA moves to tighten the wording for future cars.
The important distinction is that the restriction is a 2027 design issue, not a confirmed penalty or ban affecting Red Bull at the United States Grand Prix in COTA. The RB22’s current-season configuration should not be described as illegal based on this report alone.
For Red Bull and Audi, the immediate task is to adapt their next-generation designs before the new rules take effect. Their ability to find an alternative that preserves the aerodynamic benefits could determine how costly the change becomes. The FIA’s intervention may close one route to performance, but it also sets up another engineering contest as teams look for the next advantage within the regulations.
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This story was originally published October 14, 2026 at 3:01 AM.