Max Verstappen and Red Bull are BACK!
Well, this is an easy headline to pen, but in this topsy-turvy year of new Formula One regulations, one swallow does not a summer make. Just two weeks ago, Lewis Hamilton in his Ferrari ripped to victory with the largest margin over his nearest rival of the year.
Yet in Austria, Ferrari were once again nowhere. Lewis Hamilton was fifth, almost half a second behind the winner, and his teammate Leclerc was a worrying eighth, the last driver remaining on the lead lap.
Red Bull did bring a raft of upgrades to what is their home race in Austria, and throughout the weekend Max Verstappen spoke of his newfound confidence in the RB22. On Saturday, just a tenth behind the Mercedes after the first Q3 run, Verstappen’s RB22 failed him spectacularly as he approached the high-speed Turn 9 at over 300 km/h.
Sunday’s Strategic Fightback and Mechanical Woes
Yet come Sunday’s race, the rebuilt car had the race pace to match Kimi Antonelli, and both were much quicker than George Russell, who started on pole. Having pitted for the final time, Verstappen closed a ten-second gap on Russell down to just 1.6 seconds at the chequered flag.
Red Bull appeared to be trying to get Max into the window where he could fit the medium tyre for his final stint, but by staying out he lost too much time to Russell. In the end, the team had to bail on that strategy and pull Verstappen in for a final run on the hard tyre.
Even then, Max believed had his car not developed troubles, he had the opportunity to catch and pass his arch-rival in the Mercedes car.
“In the first half of the race we were more competitive, because for whatever reason in the second half something felt off on the rear of the car. Everything was just extremely difficult from bumps, kerbs, traction—it was just completely gone,” revealed Verstappen after the race.
“That’s a bit of a shame, but to be that close to a win I think is a great effort from the team. They have worked really hard to get these upgrades on the car here, and this is the first time in the race where I felt really competitive and I could push a bit more. What was satisfying is that this was the first time I felt like actually I could fight for the win,” Verstappen concluded.
Rumours, Red Bull Leverage, and the McLaren Links
A better starting position may also have given Verstappen a better shot at a record sixth win in Austria. Yet while the signs for Red Bull are encouraging, in a handful of days they need to repeat the feat at Silverstone to persuade Max he should stay with the team.
On Thursday, the Daily Mail broke a story that Verstappen’s representatives had been talking with Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. This may mean something, or it could just be the regular duties of a driver’s management team to maximize his position within the team where he currently resides. Keeping the heat on Red Bull to continue upgrading the car is definitely in the interest of Verstappen.
Against the theory that Max would jump ship is the fact that the Red Bull team is firmly built around him and his success. If he decides the car should be developed in a certain direction—in that direction it will go. At McLaren or Mercedes, Verstappen would not have that kind of credit in the bank, which is a consideration the Dutch driver will understand.
Debunking the Adrian Newey Myth
Now today, after such an impressive performance by the Red Bull team in the Styrian mountains, Raymond Vermeulen, the manager of Max Verstappen, claims there have been “no negotiations” with McLaren. Of course, this may well be semantics, and the alleged conversations with Zak Brown were likely exploratory and considering hypothetical scenarios only. He does suggest the “next few weeks” will be crucial for Red Bull to demonstrate they remain capable of delivering a car in which Max can win races and titles.
Slowly but surely, the narrative that Red Bull will fade to the midfield having lost Adrian Newey is being eroded, given the F1 design guru is having a nightmare with his new team, Aston Martin. Clearly, Newey was, as reported by TJ13, latterly part-time in his final years in Milton Keynes, acting more as a design consultant to the full-time technical team headed by Pierre Waché.
F1 writers are poring over the potential moves Verstappen could make, suggesting there’s no room at the inn with Mercedes, Ferrari, nor McLaren. This, they argue, leaves him no wiggle room in reality. Yet Verstappen is no ordinary driver and could easily quit the sport for sports car racing and a shot at winning Le Mans.
Looking Ahead to a Boiling Hot Silverstone
The most significant comments Max made this weekend were, “I felt like actually I could fight for the win.” If Red Bull Racing continue to deliver this feeling for Verstappen, he will have no interest in being anywhere else but with his team. Of course, Max has a loyalty to Red Bull Racing, and why would he prefer to go to another team where all the relationships start from scratch?
The signs are good for Red Bull and Max ahead of the upcoming weekend at the British Grand Prix in just a few days’ time. Once again it is expected to be boiling hot; the circuit delivers high levels of degradation to the tyres, and its high-speed nature will mask the RB22’s poor slow-corner traction zones.
Mercedes and Ferrari both looked suspect in terms of tyre wear and race pace, and it could be the McLarens and Max fighting it out for the honours at Silverstone. Kimi Antonelli continues to defy his years, even if in Austria too much ambition at the start cost him places and a shot at the win.
So for now, Russell should enjoy his first Grand Prix win since the season opener, because come the Northamptonshire countryside, the test will be sterner and the result less certain.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
