)
With two wins from the last three races and missing out by a mere 0.196 seconds in Baku, Max Verstappen and Red Bull have firmly returned to the sharp end of Formula 1. Although this resurgence came too late to reignite the Dutchman's push for the 2026 world title, the driver has now set his sights on a top-three finish in the standings.
Following the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen sits just eight points adrift of Lewis Hamilton, while George Russell holds a slim 17-point cushion. In other words, finishing the campaign as runner-up has become a very realistic goal.
Asked by motorsport.com whether he was already thinking about December 12 – the date of the official FIA Prize Giving Gala in Shanghai – the Dutchman replied with a smile:
"Is that the prize giving? I was really, really sick last year! But we'll see what happens."
Finishing second or third in the final standings, however, holds little appeal for Verstappen. Speaking to Dutch media in the Singapore paddock, he admitted that such an outcome does not excite him, despite the remarkable turnaround following a nightmare start to the campaign:
"No, because at the end of the day you didn't win. You're not world champion, and that's the only thing that matters to me."
Even though the championship crown is out of reach this season, Red Bull's resurgence brings a huge wave of confidence heading into the future.
"The most important thing is to look at where we were at the beginning of the year and where we are now," Verstappen explained, recalling how the team was battling in the midfield against Haas and Alpine in China and Japan. "All the upgrades we introduced since, as well as the issues with certain components – we managed to fix everything. That is crucial looking ahead to next season. While some teams still have doubts over the effectiveness of their packages, everything on our car is working, which is extremely positive."
The four-time world champion added that some of the 2026 car's underlying weaknesses can no longer be rectified, making more fundamental changes necessary for next year's challenger. While the development path is never guaranteed on the drawing board alone, the successful evolution of the car this season provides genuine grounds for optimism.
Verstappen also highlighted another, less-discussed factor that could provide Red Bull with a major advantage during 2027 – the brand-new wind tunnel at their Milton Keynes base.
"Of course, next year we'll also have the new wind tunnel. That's a separate topic, but we sincerely hope it will run flawlessly and help us as well," the Dutchman said.
The current facility Red Bull relies on is the oldest in Formula 1. During his tenure at the helm of the team, Christian Horner frequently described the 70-year-old facility in Bedford as a "Cold War relic," noting that working with it often led to significant correlation discrepancies between simulation data and on-track performance.
Technical director Pierre Waché confirmed that the state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to become operational in early 2027, likely in February. While the tunnel will not be ready in time for the baseline design of the RB23, it will serve as a fundamental tool for aggressive development throughout next season.
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)
&format=webp)