Verstappen sees Baku as Red Bull’s best chance of a 2026 win

Red Bull came close to its first win of 2026 in Azerbaijan. Verstappen believes it was the team’s best chance, but team boss Laurent Mekies hopes more will follow.

GPBeat · Newsroom29 Sept 2026, 17:49 · 1 min

Max Verstappen says Red Bull let its best chance of a Formula 1 victory in 2026 slip away at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He finished 0.196 seconds behind the winner in Baku, though he felt the narrow margin was somewhat misleading because of Valtteri Bottas’s crash and an issue with George Russell’s boost.

Ronald Vording reported Verstappen’s assessment for Autosport on 29 September. Baku was also where Red Bull introduced what Autosport describes as its final significant upgrade package for the RB22, including a new floor and revised sidepods. Both drivers felt the changes helped them at that circuit.

Verstappen expects winning to become harder if a Mercedes upgrade due in Malaysia works as intended. He said Red Bull would nevertheless keep pursuing any opportunity.

Mekies agreed that Baku probably suited Red Bull’s car better than any other circuit, but told Autosport its race pace gave him hope of another couple of opportunities before the end of the season. He said the tougher races ahead would also help the team learn for 2027.

Source context

Ronald Vording’s Autosport article of 29 September 2026 reports Verstappen’s remarks and Mekies’ response to an Autosport question.

Claims and supporting evidence 7

Ronald Vording’s Autosport article was published on 29 September 2026. It reports remarks from Verstappen and includes a response Mekies gave when Autosport asked him about Red Bull’s remaining chances.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Attribution and provenance of the account. 29 September 2026 This is the only retrieved publication; the two speakers’ remarks are reported within the same article.

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Autosport reports that Verstappen regarded Baku as Red Bull’s best opportunity for a 2026 victory and said the team had undermined that opportunity. This is his assessment, not a finding that no later win is possible.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Verstappen’s assessment following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, 2026 The article does not quantify the probability of winning at the remaining circuits.

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Autosport gives Verstappen’s finishing gap as 0.196 seconds and reports that he considered the narrow margin somewhat misleading because of Bottas’ crash and an issue with Russell’s boost. The explanation of the margin is attributed to Verstappen.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Baku finishing margin and its interpretation. Azerbaijan Grand Prix, 2026 No separate official timing record or independent account of the incidents was retrieved.

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Autosport describes the Baku RB22 changes, including a new floor and revised sidepods, as the car’s final significant upgrade package. It reports that both drivers felt the changes delivered what they had hoped for; that feedback concerns their experience of the car, not a measured gain applicable to every circuit.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Red Bull’s Baku car update and driver feedback. Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, 2026 The retrieved article provides no quantified before-and-after performance comparison.

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Autosport reports an expected Mercedes W17 upgrade in Malaysia and a power-unit upgrade in the pipeline. Verstappen said a Mercedes upgrade that works would make winning harder for Red Bull, while maintaining that the team would pursue any opportunity.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Verstappen’s conditional outlook for the remaining 2026 races. After Baku and before the remaining 2026 races The Mercedes changes and their effects are prospective in this account; the quotation does not establish that Red Bull cannot win again.

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Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies agreed that Baku probably suited the team’s car characteristics best, but said its race performance gave him hope of another couple of opportunities before the end of 2026. His expectation is material counterevidence to treating Baku as definitively the last chance.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Mekies’ response to Verstappen’s assessment. After the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix; remainder of the 2026 season Mekies expressed hope, not a guarantee of another winning opportunity or victory.

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Autosport reports that Mekies also regarded the remaining, potentially more difficult circuits as useful for Red Bull’s development toward 2027, alongside its attempt to secure a first win in 2026.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Red Bull’s stated purpose for the remaining races. Remainder of 2026, with 2027 in view This states the team principal’s development rationale, not an established outcome for the 2027 car.

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This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.