Max Verstappen calls his P2 championship standing "a big surprise" after Red Bull stumbled through a brutal opening to the 2026 season. It took five rounds for the four-time champion to reach a podium and sixteen events to win again, but a development push and effective upgrades turned the RB into a race winner by mid-season. Verstappen now sits second with a slim cushion over Lewis Hamilton, a margin he credits to consistency and refusing to settle for midfield results even when the car deserved them. "Sometimes that is a P6, when the car is not able to perform better," he said ahead of São Paulo. "Once the car is in a better window, then you can fight further up front and eventually win races." Red Bull's turnaround validates the Dutch driver's patience, but radio glitches and downshift gremlins persist—details Verstappen still wants ironed out as the title fight tightens.
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