Max Verstappen was initially contemplating the prospect of finishing this Formula 1 season without a victory at Monza, yet the situation now appears significantly altered.
Verstappen narrowly missed out on a win in Baku before securing triumphs in the following races during the triple-header in Malaysia and Singapore.
This shift is stark compared to the start of the year, when Red Bull was positioned far behind in fourth place and sometimes even engaged in battles with Haas and Alpine.
Predictably, this prompted fresh speculation about Verstappen’s future, but he disclosed at Zandvoort that he had found himself much closer to considering an early retirement from F1 than to contemplating a team switch.
Prior to Verstappen’s home event, news broke: the Dutch driver’s lengthy contract with Red Bull had been revised and extended for an additional two years.
With the Milton Keynes-based team having made substantial progress and seeking victories once more, one might wonder if he had prior knowledge when he signed the deal.
To put it differently, was Verstappen aware that Red Bull would regain its competitive edge with the forthcoming upgrade package?
“Not really, it was more about discussing the future and the vision for how the team is advancing,” Verstappen responded. “I liked those visions. It’s not that they needed to persuade me or anything; it’s simply the general dialogue one has with the team.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images
“Working with this team has genuinely been a pleasure for me. Naturally, the improvements we have made add a nice touch, as competing at the front is undeniably more rewarding,” he remarked.
Verstappen further pointed out that the Baku upgrade is not solely about performance enhancements. Arguably more crucial than the direct enhancements in grip and lap times is the newfound predictability of the RB22.
This predictability is exactly what empowers the driver to exert a greater influence, at least within the constraints of the existing power unit regulations.
“The primary transformation in our car is that it has developed into a much more predictable and balanced machine, whereas at the beginning of the year, I often felt uncertain about corner entries,” Verstappen elaborated. “At that time, numerous unusual occurrences happened with the car.
“This uncertainty prevented us from truly pushing it to its limits, as the boundaries were unclear, or they could shift unexpectedly. This shift has greatly improved our recent race weekends, as we now have a clearer sense of the limits and a more reliable balance.”
Team principal Laurent Mekies addressed the notion that Red Bull had foreseen the significant advancements in Baku and had leveraged this to persuade Verstappen to extend his contract.
“The simple answer is no. We weren’t awaiting a miraculous upgrade that would catapult us to improved performance,” the Frenchman clarified.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal
Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images
“We were aware that updates were on the way, and we also recognized that Baku would mark the last such upgrade this year. It was part of the ongoing development trajectory of the vehicle, and as I previously mentioned, we genuinely felt we might struggle to close those final few tenths.
“Thus, it wasn’t a case of persuading Max during discussions back then.”
Mekies emphasized that Verstappen’s contract renewal was focused on the longer perspective and his trust that Red Bull could continue to furnish him with competitive machinery in the future.
From that perspective, the Baku upgrades weren’t leveraged to entice him but are viewed internally more as an indication of what could be achieved when all components align perfectly.
“On a broader scale, we understood that the dynamics were robust within Pierre Wache’s team and in Ben Hodgkinson’s team concerning what we believed was still possible with the car’s overall package, addressing both chassis and power unit factors,” Mekies elaborated.
“These discussions with Max revolved around underlying factors and the long-term prospects rather than being specifically about the Baku package.”
Concerning those long-term prospects, both Mekies and Verstappen continuously underscore that the current status is still not satisfactory. Red Bull is yet to reach its potential and still requires addressing various fundamental weaknesses.
Given the existing chassis and the constraints imposed by the budget cap, improvements won’t be viable come 2026, compelling Verstappen to underscore repeatedly that further modifications will be essential for the 2027 car if Red Bull aspires to consistently compete at the forefront.
