Verstappen is perfect, Red Bull confirms: the Mekies method works
Who else but him: Max Verstappen and his Red Bull claimed pole position in a chaotic Baku qualifying, opening previously unexpected scenarios. While it was natural to expect the world champion’s talent to stand out on a slippery track with difficult conditions and a bit of wind, the Anglo-Austrian team appears to have regained competitiveness and cohesion, while the McLaren drivers struggled.
Max started cautiously, running most of the session on medium tires until the final, decisive attempt. After six red flags, and with Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri already out of contention, the Dutch driver fitted the soft tires and delivered an excellent 1’41’’117. “I’m really satisfied with our performance today,” explained the world champion. “It was a lot of fun, at least once I crossed the line. There were many interruptions, and it wasn’t easy to find the rhythm each time. Here in Baku, it’s never simple to push to the limit and complete a lap without mistakes, especially in conditions where the car’s behavior is unpredictable.”
Unpredictable wind in Azerbaijan, but Red Bull floor still the best
The unpredictable wind, with gusts up to 70 km/h, made Verstappen’s flawless session even more impressive, as it significantly altered the already low-downforce setup of the cars. Max summarized the challenge: “There was oversteer, understeer, I didn’t have the tires I wanted, and the session kept being interrupted.” Despite this, a confident Red Bull chose to send its cars out last, risking another red flag but benefiting from a track with more grip. “Q3 was a long wait,” Max recounted, “and it wasn’t easy deciding between soft and medium tires. In the end, we opted for the softs. I admit they weren’t my favorite, but they were the last new tires available to us.”
Verstappen’s performance was also aided by the RB21, which, based on free practice, would have been competitive even in normal conditions. Despite a thinner rear wing compared to McLaren and Ferrari, the car, designed by Waché & Co., confirmed progress from recent floor developments, ensuring downforce and stability while widening the operating window. This allowed Verstappen to be less affected by the strong wind gusts than his rivals. A great starting point for the race, as “our long runs were positive, so I expect to see similar pace tomorrow.” Laurent Mekies added: “Max was simply exceptional. There were wind gusts over 60 km/h, and each lap was different. Then it even rained… but Max didn’t make a single mistake.”
Finally Tsunoda: sixth and Red Bull career-best qualifying
“Yuki also did an excellent job,” Mekies continued, commenting on the Japanese driver’s sixth place. “This was his best qualifying with us, and he managed the session really well.” Tsunoda shared the sentiment, emphasizing that “the team is moving in the right direction.” He added: “I’m happy with a clean session because it was really chaotic, with all the interruptions and constantly changing conditions. Driving in Baku is always different; a few millimeters can make a difference, and the risk of yellow and red flags is always present. We also had to deal with the wind, which added another difficulty. Still, I can be happy with sixth. The team worked hard to improve performance, and the car modifications definitely helped. I also put in a lot of work on the simulator, and we hope to see the results. I’m looking forward to racing tomorrow; the long runs in practice were promising, so we want to capitalize on the great work done so far this weekend.”
After Monza, the Baku qualifying confirms the success of the new “Red Bull method,” prioritizing driver feedback on track over factory and simulator data when setting up the car. “The car is going really well,” Mekies confirmed. “This is proof of the hard work we’re doing. Team communication was excellent today, not just from the pit wall to the drivers, but at all levels, despite many uncontrollable factors. We took the right risks, being the last two out on the final lap and accepting the danger of a new red flag, and it worked.” In short, Milton Keynes seems to have found calm again. And with a Max like this…
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