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Max Verstappen Told It’s Only a Matter of Time After Red Bull Boost
Highlights
- Max Verstappen finished third at the Belgian Grand Prix.
- Red Bull shows strong progress with improved RB22 balance.
- Power unit reliability improved despite Verstappen’s penalty.
- Red Bull aims to maintain momentum at Hungarian Grand Prix.
- Buemi confident Verstappen’s first 2026 win is imminent.
- Team praised for competitive car package after technical overhaul.
Max Verstappen’s third place at Spa-Francorchamps underlines Red Bull’s recovery and fuels belief that a first 2026 victory is close, with Budapest providing the next benchmark on July 26.
Simulator driver Sebastien Buemi argues the breakthrough is imminent. He highlights an RB22 that felt balanced from first practice, a contrast to earlier rounds defined by setup sensitivity and chasing front-end grip.
Buemi says Verstappen’s first 2026 win is “only a matter of time.”
Reliability steps are notable. Red Bull ran a stable baseline and only trimmed the setup. Despite a power unit penalty, Verstappen’s race pace held firm, with the virtual safety car aiding Ferrari at a key moment.
Verstappen banked his second podium of 2026 with third place at Spa.
Buemi believes second was possible without that timing. The deficit is shrinking, but upgrades remain essential to confront Mercedes’ power and efficiency, including refining rear-wing options for different downforce windows.
Red Bull’s wider technical shift continues, led by its in-house power unit. The powertrain project now looks raceable, with both drivers finishing inside the top six and extracting consistent baseline performance.
The RB22’s balance improved from the first runs at Spa, reducing setup churn.
Those gains slot into Red Bull’s record progress in recent rounds. Strategy execution and tyre management increasingly match the car’s platform, limiting performance leakage across stints.
Budapest demands traction, thermal robustness, and qualifying sharpness. Momentum from Spa helps, but rivals evolve quickly, so Red Bull needs continuous step-by-step upgrades to sustain track position against Ferrari and Mercedes.
Verstappen’s consistency provides the anchor. Convert clean weekends into front-row starts and clear air, and the first 2026 win moves from plausible to probable over the coming races.
Visual Summary
Podium
Ferrari Luck
Verstappen’s 2026 Podiums
2
This season: Spa & another
“
Red Bull deserves more credit for building a top team with our own power unit. It’s only a matter of time before Max wins again.
”
Red Bull deserves more credit for building a top team with our own power unit. It’s only a matter of time before Max wins again.
”
— Sebastien Buemi
Next Target: HUNGARY 🇭🇺 July 26
Will Verstappen’s steady climb finally lead to a victory? All eyes on Budapest.
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Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
