Two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi believes Mercedes was fortunate that Red Bull’s dramatic return to winning form came so late in the 2026 season. After Max Verstappen secured three pole positions and three victories across the Malaysian and Singapore Grand Prix weekends, the Brazilian suggested that an earlier recovery could have transformed the championship battle.
Red Bull’s recent performances have been particularly impressive considering how difficult much of the season had appeared for the Milton Keynes team. With the RB22 seemingly heading towards an anonymous campaign without a Grand Prix victory, Max Verstappen suddenly emerged as a dominant force across two very different circuits.
Max Verstappen delivers remarkable Red Bull comeback at Sepang and Singapore
Red Bull’s resurgence has been one of the most notable developments of the closing stages of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Between Sepang and Marina Bay, Max Verstappen collected three pole positions and three victories, demonstrating a level of competitiveness that had previously appeared beyond the RB22.
The four-time world champion was particularly impressive because the two circuits presented completely different technical challenges. Nevertheless, he proved extremely difficult to beat at both venues, securing his first victory in Singapore at a circuit where he had never previously stood on the top step of the podium.
Those results have dramatically changed the perception of Red Bull’s competitiveness. Rather than simply fighting to limit the damage against Mercedes, the team has demonstrated that it can once again compete for victories.
Emerson Fittipaldi says Mercedes was lucky Red Bull improved too late
According to Emerson Fittipaldi, Mercedes and championship leader Kimi Antonelli can consider themselves fortunate that Red Bull did not discover this level of performance earlier in the campaign.
The former world champion believes that, had the RB22 become competitive sooner, Max Verstappen might have been capable of mounting another remarkable championship recovery.
That would have echoed the previous season, when the Dutchman came close to completing an extraordinary comeback but ultimately missed out on a fifth consecutive world title by just a handful of points.
Speaking about Red Bull’s recent performances, Fittipaldi praised Verstappen while highlighting the significance of the timing.
“Max Verstappen has been really impressive in the last two Grands Prix,” Emerson Fittipaldi said.
“Mercedes can consider itself fortunate that this surge in Red Bull’s competitiveness did not happen during the first part of the season. Red Bull woke up too late.”
Red Bull’s late-season performance raises expectations for 2027
Although Red Bull’s recovery may have arrived too late to reshape the championship battle, Fittipaldi believes the team’s recent performance makes the remaining races particularly interesting.
The central question is whether the RB22 can maintain its improved competitiveness as the season approaches its conclusion, especially given the implications for Red Bull’s development heading into 2027.
“It will also be very exciting to follow the next races to see whether the RB22 can maintain this level of performance, particularly with a view to 2027,” Fittipaldi added.
For Mercedes, the timing of Red Bull’s resurgence has helped protect the championship position established earlier in the season. For Red Bull, however, the recent victories provide encouragement that the team has rediscovered the performance needed to challenge at the front.
Whether that improvement can be sustained will be an important question during the remaining rounds, with Verstappen’s recent results offering a potentially significant indication of Red Bull’s prospects for the following season.
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