Verstappen more positive about F1 future after Red Bull step forward

Anyone who bet on a front-row start for Max Verstappen would probably have cashed in nicely. Verstappen himself jokes about it: “I placed a bet myself as well,” he tells GPblog as, after a long debrief with Red Bull Racing’s top brass, he sits down for a session with the Dutch media.

The mood is excellent in the Austrian team’s camp. When Verstappen walks into hospitality, there’s first time for a friendly chat with Laurent Mekies. There’s applause for the Dutchman, after which Paul Monaghan and Pierre Waché also join the conversation. The communication officer apologizes for the delay, but Verstappen quickly makes up for it.

In his good mood, Verstappen also takes plenty of time for the Dutch press corps. Whereas a similar session after qualifying normally lasts about five minutes, Verstappen spends well over ten minutes this time. There’s a lot to unpack, after all—how did the tide suddenly turn like this?

Red Bull Racing’s big leap comes after the major update package the team brought for this weekend in Miami. “The second big update package. The first one (in Japan) didn’t work, but this one did work well. That gives a lot of confidence.”

And while the atmosphere was tense within Red Bull in the early weeks, it’s now excellent. “Yeah, that’s normal, right. If you don’t have things sorted in the first few races and you have a break, then of course you hope the update works when you come back. If it does work well, that gives everyone confidence. It’s the same with football. If you score in the match, that also gives confidence. You can show it in training, but it has to happen in the match too.”

And that confidence is important for the team. Red Bull Racing lost its dominant position in Formula 1 and then also lost the drivers’ world title in 2025. In addition, many key staff members left and Verstappen spoke openly about a possible early exit from the sport.

Asked about those doubts, Verstappen says: “I haven’t had doubts, but I did want to see what that big update would do. Of course we’re not there yet, but this is a good step in the right direction.” Although the car has indeed taken a big step forward, Verstappen still isn’t happy with the regulations and power units.

When GPblog wraps up by asking whether the improved performance helps in a possible longer stay for Verstappen in F1, Max says: “The criticism of the regulations stays the same. It doesn’t matter whether I’m second or eighth. Only for me personally, the driving feel is a bit nicer now, of course. But a solution still needs to be found.”