Red Bull continues to shine on low-downforce tracks, winning both Monza and Baku with a stellar Max Verstappen. While Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris still hold a comfortable margin, if the Milton Keynes team proves competitive in Singapore, the pressure on McLaren in Woking could rise significantly.
Verstappen narrows the gap
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix turned a speculative scenario into a small, yet real, possibility. With his second victory in the last two races, Max Verstappen has reduced his gap to the McLaren duo in the overall standings. The deficit remains large—69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri—but it has shrunk considerably in just two weeks. Beyond the arithmetic of what would need to happen for Verstappen to have a real title chance, it is clear that Red Bull has made a significant step forward in terms of car potential, bringing a new element of pressure to a championship previously dominated by the internal McLaren rivalry.
Low-downforce dominance
At Monza, Red Bull and Verstappen’s stellar performance was explained by the track’s specific characteristics. After Baku, the explanation is more general: “excellent performance on low-downforce circuits.” Credit must go to Red Bull and Verstappen for creating an intriguing anticipation for Singapore, a circuit very different from Baku and Monza. Wings will be far more prominent, and temperatures will test the cars’ cooling systems, creating the perfect environment for the McLaren duo. If Verstappen replicates his Baku and Monza form at Marina Bay, the championship dynamics could change dramatically. This is especially significant given that, on the last medium-downforce track (Zandvoort), McLaren confirmed a pace that was untouchable for all, including Red Bull.
Verstappen’s flawless weekend
Beyond championship implications, the 51 laps in Azerbaijan showcased an impeccable Max Verstappen and a performance that was never in doubt. “We played a perfect game of chess where every move was flawless,” commented Helmut Marko. He referred to Verstappen’s choice to start the race on hard tires, a decision not without risk. But with Max in the car, the Red Bull pit wall can remain calm, and as scripted, everything went perfectly.
The perfect weekend came on a track Red Bull had not previously considered friendly. Twelve months ago, Verstappen qualified sixth and finished fifth, over a minute behind winner Oscar Piastri. “The car has made a big step forward,” Marko continued. “The performance window is wider, and we’ve also changed how we set up the car and prepared the weekend. We have a different approach that’s working, and I think this weekend it was evident, even with Yuki.”
McLaren struggles to respond
McLaren felt the impact. Qualifying results disrupted their plans, and the expected race pace didn’t materialize. Lando Norris attempted to gain positions, but it became clear early on that performance alone couldn’t get him through. “We couldn’t overtake anyone,” commented Andrea Stella, “and that forced us to spend the entire race in traffic.” As seen in qualifying, when Piastri and Norris pushed the limits, they faced a car made tricky by unusually low grip—not ideal on a circuit like Baku.
Oscar Piastri paid the highest price with three major errors in less than 24 hours: a qualifying crash, a false start, and another incident on the first lap. This series of mistakes could have paved the way for Norris, but Lando only recovered six points—a far cry from the haul he could have claimed on a normal weekend of dominance. Both papaya-colored drivers now have everything needed to reset and continue their championship battle from Singapore onward, assuming Red Bull’s blue number 1 car doesn’t once again finish ahead.
“At this point, we’re looking forward to Marina Bay,” Marko concluded. “If we confirm competitiveness on that track as well, then yes, we can start dreaming.”
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