Did Max Verstappen Know About Red Bull's Resurgence Before Signing New Deal?

Pulse Sports Team 11:38 - 17 October 2026

Following Red Bull's dramatic upturn in form since the Baku race, questions emerged in the paddock over whether Max Verstappen knew about the impact of the new upgrades before committing his future to the team. However, both the Dutchman and team principal Laurent Mekies are adamant: their long-term partnership is built on mutual trust for the future, not a single upgrade package.

Only a few weeks ago at Monza, Verstappen acknowledged the realistic possibility of finishing the Formula 1 season without a single grand prix win. Today, the landscape looks entirely different. After narrowly missing out on victory in Baku, the Dutchman stormed to back-to-back wins in Malaysia and Singapore.

This resurgence stands in stark contrast to a difficult start to the campaign, when the Milton Keynes squad ranked only fourth-fastest on the grid and found themselves battling the likes of Haas and Alpine. Speculation inevitably mounted over the three-time world champion's future, even though at Zandvoort he admitted he was closer to walking away from the sport than switching teams. On the eve of his home race, the saga concluded: his contract with Red Bull was extended for a further two seasons.

With Red Bull firmly back at the sharp end of the grid, whispers naturally spread about whether the driver had received early reassurances regarding the development package's potential.

"Honestly, no. Our discussions were entirely focused on the future and a shared vision for the team's direction," Verstappen said. "I liked what they presented. There was no hard sell—we were simply talking through our plans. I enjoy working with this group, and our current progress is a great bonus because fighting at the front is always far more rewarding."

The Dutchman stressed that the Baku upgrades delivered more than just raw pace and downforce; crucially, they made the RB22 far more predictable on track. That stability allows him to extract the absolute maximum within the framework of the current engine regulations.

"The biggest difference is that the car is far more balanced. Early in the year, I often had no idea what the car would do on corner entry, and we suffered from unpredictable snaps," the driver explained. "In that situation, you cannot drive on the limit because you simply don't know where it is. Over recent race weekends, the balance has been much more consistent, and that gives us confidence."

Team boss Laurent Mekies also brushed aside suggestions that the sudden leap in performance was used as leverage during contract negotiations with Verstappen.

"The short answer is no. We were not banking on some magic package that would suddenly transform our pace," the French team principal noted. "We knew what upgrades were in the pipeline and that Baku would be our final update of the season. We even had doubts about closing those final three-tenths of a second, so that was never a bargaining chip in our talks with Max."

Mekies explained that the deal was built on absolute confidence in the technical departments at the track and back at the factory: "We knew the immense potential and energy across the teams led by Pierre Waché on the chassis side and Ben Hodgkinson with the power unit. It was those long-term foundations and core capabilities that formed our dialogue with Max, not a single race weekend in Baku."

Despite their recent run of success, both Mekies and Verstappen remain grounded, reiterating that Red Bull still have vulnerabilities to iron out before they can perform at their absolute peak.

Under the current chassis regulations and budget cap constraints, continuous major development will not carry over into 2026. For that reason, Verstappen has consistently emphasized that further refinements to the 2027 package will be essential if Red Bull are to establish themselves as regular title contenders once again.

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