Max Verstappen delivered Red Bull-Ford's first Formula 1 victory in Malaysia, ending a 23-year F1 drought for the Blue Oval and marking win number 72 for the Dutchman. Christian Horner, who gambled on building an in-house power unit after Honda bailed in 2021, posted a dyno photo on Instagram: "From a hole in the ground to race winner in five years."
Red Bull could've begged Mercedes or Ferrari for customer engines. Instead, Horner stood up Red Bull Powertrains from nothing and brought Ford into the partnership. Sixteen races into 2026, the bet paid off. Verstappen had seven podiums before Malaysia, but a win is different—especially for an American manufacturer that hasn't won since 2003. Martin Brundle called it "hugely impressive" on Sky. For Ford and for American fans, it's vindication. The power unit works. Now comes the real test: can Red Bull-Ford challenge for titles?
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