Red Bull Believes Verstappen Could Have Won Brazil GP

Red Bull's Laurent Mekies praised Max Verstappen's sensational drive from the pit lane to a P3 finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix, suggesting a win was possible had their aggressive setup gamble paid off. The team took a calculated risk with Verstappen's car balance after the sprint race, which initially went wrong but was corrected for Sunday's main event.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's willingness to take significant setup risks, even with a dominant driver like Verstappen, underscores their relentless pursuit of perfection and their 'no compromise' racing philosophy. This aggressive approach, while it occasionally backfires as seen in qualifying, is fundamental to their sustained success and their ability to extract maximum performance, even in challenging race conditions.

The Details:

• Verstappen's 'Sensational' Drive: Mekies lauded Verstappen's performance, comparing it to his win from P16 (P17) in the wet the previous year, highlighting the difficulty of a pit-lane start to a P3 finish in a dry, uneventful race.
• Post-Sprint Setup Changes: Red Bull was dissatisfied with the car's balance and driver feel after finishing P4 in the sprint race, which Mekies noted was effectively P5 without retirements. They felt the car wasn't in its optimal window.
• Calculated Risk: The team decided to make significant setup changes to Verstappen's car before the main qualifying, acknowledging it was a risk. "We obviously got it wrong, but it's the way we go racing," Mekies stated. "We take risks and if we don't take that amount of risk, we don't think we'll be able to win."
• Rectifying the Setup: After the initial failed gamble, Red Bull tweaked the setup again and installed a new engine for the Grand Prix. This proved to be the correct decision, as Mekies noted, "The car was alive today, that's the most important thing. The car was probably good enough to fight for the win today."

The Big Picture:

Red Bull's strategic choices in Brazil illustrate their unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries and their high performance standards. Even when facing a strong performance from rivals, they prioritize optimizing every possible parameter. This mindset is crucial as they prepare for the 2026 season, where they will debut as a power unit manufacturer with Red Bull Ford Powertrains, showcasing their ambition to control every aspect of their car's performance.

What's next:

This incident serves as a reminder of Red Bull's aggressive engineering philosophy. As they look towards 2026 with the Red Bull Ford Powertrains, their willingness to innovate and take risks will be even more critical. The team's ongoing development, including the unveiling of their 2026 cars on Ford grounds, signifies a new era where they aim to defy F1 conventions and maintain their competitive edge not just as a chassis builder, but as a full-fledged manufacturer.