Max Verstappen could secure Red Bull’s first win of 2026 after a near‑victory in Baku, saying the upgraded RB22 delivered the edge needed to challenge Mercedes.
Red Bull’s Baku Gamble Pays Off
When Verstappen entered Red Bull hospitality for the Dutch media session in Azerbaijan, only two Dutch reporters stood in front of him. The empty room echoed his reassurance that the Baku City Circuit was the best chance to win this year. “We’ve done a great job messing it up,” he said, hinting that even a narrow margin could be deceptive due to Bottas’ crash & Russell’s boost problem.
Unpacking the Upgrade Package
The final significant package for the RB22—new floor and revised sidepods—boosted top speed on the longest straight and tightened through‑corner balance from FP1 onwards. “It’s looking pretty good,” Isack Hadjar observed, noting improved brake performance and overall handling compared to the Hungarian lap before his wrist injury.
Performance vs. Degradation Concerns
While the upgrades hit the mark, Verstappen highlighted the side‑effect of car degradation and the less‑than‑optimal electrical power‑unit deployment that still falls short of Mercedes. He called it “free lap time” that the team must fix, even as he praised the performance gains across the weekend.
Mercedes Eyes Malaysian Upgrade
Mercedes plans an ADUO‑based power‑unit upgrade for the forthcoming W17 in Malaysia, presenting a tougher challenge for Red Bull in the near future. “If they bring an upgrade to Malaysia, it’ll get harder,” Verstappen said, underscoring Mercedes’ potential advantage at that track.
Team Strategy Moving Forward
Team principal Justin Mekies echoed Verstappen’s optimism that Baku remains the most favorable track for the RB22’s characteristics. He stressed the importance of confronting harder circuits to learn for 2027, noting that “we’ll try every single weekend and, if the opportunity is there, we go for it.”
Red Bull still lacks a win this season, a first since 2015 for Verstappen and the team, and the next race weekends must be viewed as both a quest for triumph and a laboratory for future dominance.
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