I don’t see a weakness – What could ‘formidable’ Red Bull achieve after ‘massive’ resurgence?

Red Bull’s Stunning Revival Puts Max Verstappen Back in Championship Contention

Just months ago, the paddock was awash with speculation that four-time World Champion Max Verstappen was actively weighing a departure from Red Bull Racing as the team struggled to find pace under Formula 1’s new technical regulations. Rivals Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren had all moved clear, and the Dutchman’s future at the Milton Keynes-based outfit appeared far from certain. Yet in a sport defined by momentum swings, Red Bull’s trajectory has shifted dramatically — and the team once written off now stands as one of the most formidable forces on the 2025 grid.

A series of targeted technical upgrades, most notably at the rear of the car, has restored the mechanical balance that Verstappen demands and thrives upon. Victories in Malaysia and Singapore have followed, propelling the reigning champion into a genuine battle for second place in the Drivers’ Championship standings and prompting widespread reassessment of just how much Red Bull has accomplished in a condensed window of time.

Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques Break Down Red Bull’s Technical Transformation

The scale of the resurgence was dissected in depth on the latest episode of the official Formula 1 podcast F1 Nation, presented by AWS — Global AI partner of Formula 1 — with former Renault F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and co-host Alex Jacques joining host Tom Clarkson ahead of the United States Grand Prix. Palmer was unequivocal in his assessment of where the upgraded Red Bull now stands technically.

“I look at the Red Bull with the upgrades and the weaknesses that we used to hear don’t seem to be there,” Palmer said. “They’re good at kerb riding. I think Max mentioned the downshifts once in Singapore, because he starts to feel the instability as he’s banging down the gears, but they’ve been able to dial that out for years anyway. Right now, I don’t see a weakness in it.”

Jacques offered a deeper analysis of how the upgrade has interacted specifically with Verstappen’s distinctive driving style — a style that many of his Red Bull teammates over the years have found impossible to replicate. “He had a car that didn’t unlock the entire potential of his difference-making driving ability, which is that super sensitive front end that a hatful of very talented drivers in the second Red Bull car couldn’t live with,” Jacques explained. “Ironically, it’s an update at the rear of the car that’s unlocked the overall balance. And now suddenly you have Max with total confidence, with the machine that is working entirely to his liking. He’s finished a tenth away in Baku, he’s rattled off everything he can win since, and [has] super high confidence for a driver who was mulling whether it was worth staying with the team in recent times.”

A Turnaround Palmer Says May Surpass McLaren’s Own Championship Comeback

Red Bull’s revival invites comparison to McLaren’s celebrated resurgence, which culminated in back-to-back constructors’ titles in 2024 and 2025 after years of mid-field obscurity. However, Palmer argued that when examined through the lens of raw statistical improvement, Red Bull’s in-season correction may actually represent an even more extraordinary achievement.

“When you look at the whole picture here, the uptrend for Red Bull is massive,” Palmer said. “We’ve spoken for years about McLaren’s turnaround in form a couple of years ago. It was huge when Lando [Norris] came from being nowhere, to suddenly we were thinking, ‘can he fight for a championship?’ before he did. But I think this Red Bull turnaround in form might be on paper, when you look at the percentage difference, I think it’s got to be the biggest, if they can cement it through these final races. After six races, he was 113 points behind Kimi Antonelli. In the 11 races since, he’s lost six points to Kimi. If you started the championship after Monaco, Max will be champion.”

Palmer went on to characterise the psychological edge Verstappen appears to have reclaimed over the rest of the field: “That’s the incredible form that he showed when he didn’t have the fastest car and now he does. He’s formidable and I think he’s got everyone else almost fearing the battle with him. There’s almost a sense of resignation when you take on Max from the rest of the field.”

Laurent Mekies Credited With Holding Red Bull Together Through Its Darkest Period

Beyond the technical recovery, much of the credit for Red Bull’s institutional stabilisation has been directed toward Team Principal Laurent Mekies, whose appointment initially appeared to be an unenviable task. Mekies stepped into a team beset by off-track turbulence, the departure of prominent figures, and a car that was rapidly losing its competitive edge. His contract extension, which now runs through the 2031 season, reflects the confidence Red Bull’s ownership has placed in the Frenchman’s leadership — and Verstappen’s own decision to extend his deal through 2030 was partly shaped by his relationship with Mekies.

Palmer offered a candid tribute to the team principal’s achievement. “I think he’s been remarkable. What a hire to replace such a big character as Christian Horner. It felt like it was a poisoned chalice when he took over because the ship was sinking, wasn’t it? It seemed like things were looking difficult. They throw Laurent into the mix and you think, ‘oh, he has got a big job, some high-profile names going, Max disgruntled, team falling away…'” Palmer continued: “But he managed to galvanise them so well last season and even this year sort of just trying to get the ball moving again. And he’s managed to keep the team with the full focus on winning races this season, when it could have really spiralled out of control early on. So I think Laurent has done a superb job and, looking forward to next year, you’ve got stability there. The powertrains department, what a superb job they’ve done. You don’t even need to give Max the best car for him to be champion, I don’t think. If he has a fighting chance, I think he’ll start the [2027] season as favourite and the way that the team galvanised behind him – Isack Hadjar, we’re not going to be thinking he can be champion – and I think that probably does help Max. The single-mindedness that Red Bull still have, post-Christian Horner, with Laurent coming in the team, gelling immediately with Max, I think that is still a key thing for the Drivers’ Championship.”

Jacques echoed the sentiment, recalling Mekies’ very first words to the Red Bull workforce and the psychological challenge they signalled. “I think what’s interesting about Laurent is, I remember when he gave his first remarks, that the first thing he said to the personnel there was ‘what a race team this is’,” Jacques summarised. “He almost had to remind them of their capabilities and their stature in the sport as one of the most successful teams in recent times. So there was an element of the psychology of where that team was. All the headlines had been negative for a really long time. Then he had to make sure that the people that were replacing the big characters were up to it – they’ve all done very well. Then he had to make sure that Verstappen committed long-term, because if there was a brain drain before, the moment Max walks out on that team would have been an exodus. He did all of those. He thoroughly deserves his contract extension.”

Why This Matters

Red Bull’s mid-season revival is significant far beyond its immediate effect on the 2025 Drivers’ Championship standings. The team’s ability to reverse a steep competitive decline — while simultaneously resolving contract uncertainties around its star driver and team principal — speaks to an organisational resilience that will carry real weight as Formula 1 approaches its sweeping 2026 and 2027 regulatory overhauls. With Verstappen locked in through 2030 and Mekies committed through 2031, Red Bull enters the sport’s next technical era with an unusual degree of leadership continuity. Palmer’s projection that Verstappen could enter the 2027 season as championship favourite, regardless of whether he has the outright fastest car, underscores just how much his partnership with Mekies and the broader Red Bull structure has been reinforced. For rival teams — particularly McLaren, which must now guard against a resurgent Red Bull in the final races of 2025 — the implications are equally significant. The championship picture heading into the United States Grand Prix is considerably more complex than it appeared after the opening six rounds of the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How large was Max Verstappen’s points deficit to Kimi Antonelli before Red Bull’s upgrades took effect?

According to Jolyon Palmer on F1 Nation, Verstappen was 113 points behind Kimi Antonelli after the first six races of the 2025 season. Over the following 11 races, that gap narrowed to just six points — a swing that Palmer noted would have made Verstappen champion had the season started from the Monaco round onwards.

What technical change triggered Red Bull’s performance turnaround in 2025?

Alex Jacques explained on F1 Nation that it was specifically an upgrade to the rear of the Red Bull car that unlocked the overall chassis balance. This change restored the sensitive front-end feel that Verstappen’s driving style depends upon — a characteristic that several of his former Red Bull teammates have struggled to work with over the years.

How long are Max Verstappen’s and Laurent Mekies’ contracts with Red Bull Racing?

Verstappen has extended his contract with Red Bull through the 2030 season, while Team Principal Laurent Mekies has signed an extension that runs through 2031, providing the team with long-term leadership stability as Formula 1 heads into major regulatory changes in 2026 and 2027.