Red Bull Racing denies illegal diffuser claims

Red Bull has hit back at any suggestion its 2016 car may be illegal. The team has sped past Ferrari in recent times, with Max Verstappen qualifying on the front row at Spa before teammate Daniel Ricciardo went on to split the Mercedes on the podium.

Asked if Mercedes is now in Red Bull's sights, even on circuits with long straights like Spa and Monza, Australian Ricciardo said: "Hopefully. It's been three podiums in a row so we're definitely making inroads."

However, Auto Bild reports that some of Red Bull's closest rivals are pointing fingers at the Renault-powered team's diffuser design. TV replays from Friday practice at Spa reportedly depicted the diffuser flexing both vertically and horizontally.

The German report claims Ferrari asked one photographer at Spa to "look closely" at the Red Bull design. But Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko insisted: "Our car is completely legal and anything otherwise is just slander." (GMM)

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • Its ironic how Whiting said they'd be so critical about penalties, yet not a single penalty was given at Spa.

    • + 0
    • Aug 29 2016 - 14:26

NL Dutch Grand Prix

Local time 

  • Friday weather-image

    Saturday weather-image

    Sunday weather-image

  • Sprint / Sprint startgrid

    12:00 - 13:00

    Race / Startgrid

    15:00 - 17:00

  • Sprint shootout

    16:30 - 17:14

    Qualifying

    16:00 - 17:00

    Fastest lap

    15:00 - 15:00

NLDutch Grand Prix

Local time 

  • Friday weather-image

  • Saturday weather-image

  • Sprint

    12:00 - 13:00

  • Sunday weather-image

  • Race

    15:00 - 17:00

  • Friday weather-image

  • Sprint shootout

    16:30 - 17:14

  • Saturday weather-image

  • Qualifying

    16:00 - 17:00

  • Sunday weather-image

  • Fastest lap

    15:00 - 15:00

Test calendar

See full test schedule

World Championship standings 2026

Show full world champion standings

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
6 - Mar 8
Australia
13 - Mar 15
China
27 - Mar 29
Japan
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
1 - May 3
United States of America
22 - May 24
Canada
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
12 - Jun 14
Spain
26 - Jun 28
Austria
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
10 - Apr 12
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
5 - Jun 7
Monaco Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
26 - Jun 28
Austria Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
24 - Jul 26
Hungary Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Red Bull Racing
  • Points 3,554
  • Podiums 131
  • Grand Prix 244
  • Country NL
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (28)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar