The situation of Max Verstappen has changed radically in the world of Formula 1. After a season in which he was about to finish without victories, he has managed to leave doubts behind, winning multiple races after a promising result in Baku.
In recent events, Verstappen has climbed to the podium, with a standout performance that culminated in victories at the Malaysia and Singapore races. This transformation has led many to speculate about his future with his team, Red Bull Racing.
Recently, Verstappen renewed his contract with Red Bull for two more seasons, an agreement that generated widespread discussion about whether the driver already knew that the team would make a significant improvement thanks to its upcoming upgrade package.
Despite the speculation, the Dutch driver has clarified that his decision was based more on the confidence he has in the team’s future than in anticipating technical improvements. ‘No, not really, it was more of a conversation about the future and ideas about how the team is advancing,’ Verstappen said.
However, he acknowledges that the recent upgrade package from Baku has made the car much more predictable and balanced, far from the issues they faced at the start of the season. ‘I now know better where the limit of the car is, which allows me to compete more effectively,’ he added.
The team principal, Laurent Mekies, has also denied rumors suggesting that the team had anticipated this major progress in Baku to convince Verstappen to renew his contract. ‘We weren’t waiting for a magical update to take us to performance,’ Mekies commented, stressing that the renewal was more aligned with long-term expectations than with an immediate change in the car’s performance.
The road for Red Bull is still long, and both Verstappen and Mekies agree that there are aspects to improve before considering the car competitive in a definitive way. Hence, Verstappen has insisted that, to be truly competitive consistently, a significant update will be needed for the 2027 car.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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