Max Verstappen admitted he never expected to win a Formula 1 race in 2026 after delivering a dominant Malaysia Grand Prix victory for Red Bull. The four-time world champion said the team continued to believe in the RB22 and improve the car even when he himself doubted that a victory would be possible this season.
The result at Sepang was particularly significant because it did not come through fortunate circumstances or retirements ahead. Max Verstappen won on outright Red Bull pace, taking pole position before establishing himself as the fastest driver in the race.
Max Verstappen delivers Red Bull’s breakthrough victory
Max Verstappen finally delivered a Grand Prix victory in 2026, with the result made even sweeter by the performance level of the RB22 throughout the Malaysian weekend.
The Dutchman secured pole position and gave his rivals little opportunity during the race, apart from a difficult start in which he initially dropped to third behind the two Mercedes cars.
Max Verstappen then began hunting down George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, eventually overcoming both Mercedes drivers before pulling clear at the front.
He also handled the final restart after the late Safety Car calmly, maintaining control through to the chequered flag.
Max Verstappen: ‘I never thought I would win a race this year’
After the race, Max Verstappen admitted that such a Sunday had seemed almost impossible to imagine earlier in the season.
“I never thought I would win a race this year considering all the difficulties we had at the start of the season,” Max Verstappen said. “But the team continued to believe and continued to improve the car. It’s a really special moment.”
Red Bull’s persistence with the RB22 therefore paid off at Sepang, where Max Verstappen was finally able to convert the team’s progress into a complete race weekend and victory.
Championship position no longer Max Verstappen’s priority
Despite the breakthrough win, Max Verstappen does not believe the result changes his position regarding the championship.
“Me playing a leading role in the final part of the season? I’m not fighting for the championship, which is what interests me. Apart from that, it doesn’t matter whether I finish second or sixth,” Max Verstappen added.
His focus is instead on Red Bull’s trajectory and what the team can learn before the next season.
“What matters is that we’re on a positive trend, we’re continuing to improve while at the same time learning a lot for next year.”
The victory therefore carries importance beyond the immediate result. Max Verstappen may no longer view his final position in the 2026 Formula 1 championship as especially significant, but Red Bull’s improved form offers evidence that the team’s development work is moving in the direction it wanted.
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