Max Verstappen has stated that the Baku City Circuit offered Red Bull Racing its best opportunity to win a race during the 2026 Formula 1 season. Despite finishing second—0.196 seconds behind George Russell—Verstappen noted that the gap was partially misleading due to a Valtteri Bottas crash and power issues affecting Russell, though he acknowledged Red Bull’s race pace was strong.
Red Bull introduced its final significant upgrade package for the RB22 in Baku, featuring a new floor and revised sidepods. Both Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar reported that the updates improved car balance and handling. However, the four-time world champion remains concerned about the future, noting that Mercedes is planning a major upgrade for the W17 at the upcoming Malaysia GP.
Verstappen pointed out that the team is still battling performance issues related to car degradation and suboptimal electrical power deployment compared to Mercedes. Team principal Laurent Mekies agreed that Baku was the most favorable track for their current car characteristics. Despite this, Mekies expressed hope for further opportunities to compete for wins before the season ends, while emphasizing that the remainder of the year is crucial for gathering data for the 2027 challenger.
