From “paper car” to Pole in Malaysia: What Is Behind Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s Pace?
Key Highlights: Max Verstappen clinched his first pole position of 2026 at the Sepang International Circuit, signaling major progress for Red Bull Racing after earlier car degradation woes. Verstappen attributes the turnaround to setup refinements, effective Baku upgrades led by Pierre Waché, and the punishing Malaysian heat negatively impacting Mercedes. Despite the top qualifying spot, ...