VERSTAPPEN SAYS RED BULL’S CAR WAS “SCARY” TO DRIVE EARLY IN 2026

Max Verstappen says Red Bull's 2026 car felt "scary" to drive early in the season, a blunt assessment that tracks with his dismal start — just one podium in seven races, spins at Silverstone, the Red Bull Ring, and Hungary. The turnaround came at Baku, where upgrades delivered balance the RB had lacked. Verstappen's been undefeated since, sweeping the last two grands prix and the Singapore sprint. He qualified eighth in Baku but ran second to Russell after a yellow flag killed his pole bid on the final Q3 lap.

It's the second straight year Red Bull has salvaged a broken season mid-campaign, though Verstappen notes the problems were entirely different — this time a raw pace deficit compounded by engine-mapping headaches that plagued the whole grid. Red Bull's out of the title fight, so Verstappen's hunting podiums and race wins to close the calendar. The real test: whether the lessons stick for 2027.