Max Verstappen in Austin - Photo: Race Pictures

Chandhok sees resurgent Verstappen and Red Bull: 'Absolutely back'

19:04, 22 Oct

Updated: 19:56, 22 Oct

byOlly Darcy

Former F1 driver and now F1 analyst Karun Chandhok believes that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are "absolutely back" in title contention after the United States Grand Prix.

"They are absolutely back, and that bodes well for them for the next five weekends."

- Karun Chandhok

Just after the summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen sat 104 points off championship leader Oscar Piastri in the drivers' standings, all but out of championship contention.

Now, after three wins in the last four races, a resurgent Dutchman and his Austrian team have flown up the standings and cut the deficit in the standings to just 40 points with five races remaining, unearthing some pace that no one expected.

"For me, this was the most important one of the last four weekends, because this was the first normal track," Chandhok explained on Sky Sports' podcast, 'The F1 Show', after Verstappen's commanding weekend in Austin.

Max Verstappen_USA_Red Bull_RacePictures_Jpeg

Max Verstappen after his victory in Austin - Photo: Race Pictures

"Monza was like, 'Oh, they're good on a low downforce track', and it was the same for Baku. In Singapore, Mercedes suddenly came out, and they were the quickest.

"This was the first normal track we've been to since Zandvoort, and in Zandvoort, the McLaren was clearly ahead. That was not the case here.

"I think the fact that Red Bull were quickest on the Friday sprint quali, and we thought, 'Oh, people haven't dialled their car in, blah, blah, blah. But then the gap got even bigger in the main qualifying. So, they're back. They are absolutely back, and that bodes well for them for the next five weekends."

Opinion changing in the paddock

Plenty of talk surrounding Verstappen's title chances, potentially creating one of the biggest comebacks in F1 history, has arisen since he sealed another win.

Former teammate Daniel Ricciardo called the Dutchman "ridiculous" as his bid for a fifth consecutive title continues, with the Australian now vastly intrigued in how the title battle will play out.

However, Verstappen himself has remained tight-lipped about everything, whether that be the title battle itself, or even next weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix: "I don't really think about it. We'll find out next week. We could speculate, but I don't like that."

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