Max Verstappen has climbed from sixth to second in the championship in just three rounds, a turnaround he calls "a big surprise." The Red Bull driver went winless through the first seven races of 2026, managing just one podium as the team struggled in its maiden season designing and building its own Ford-backed power unit. But three consecutive victories, capped by Mexico last weekend, have vaulted him into the runner-up spot with four rounds remaining. Verstappen credited relentless development work and his own refusal to settle for midfield results even when the car couldn't compete. Red Bull's learning curve on the power unit side proved steep, but the second-half surge shows they've cracked the fundamentals. The question now is whether this late-season form signals Red Bull has finally solved the puzzle, or if the early-season deficit already decided this year's title fight before they found their footing.
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