Max Verstappen heads into the Canadian Grand Prix weekend hoping Red Bull can deliver another pleasant surprise, much like the unexpected step forward the team appeared to make in Miami. As Formula 1 returns after a two-week break, the Dutch driver remains cautiously optimistic that Red Bull can continue closing the gap to the leading teams.
While the spotlight in 2026 has largely centred on Mercedes’ early dominance and Ferrari’s efforts to recover lost ground, Red Bull remains one of the more unpredictable forces on the grid. That makes Max Verstappen a potentially dangerous outsider in Montreal, particularly if the RB22 can unlock the same kind of performance gains seen at the previous round.
Max Verstappen hoping for another Red Bull breakthrough
In Miami, Red Bull introduced an updated version of the RB22, and the early signs were encouraging. Max Verstappen produced a standout qualifying performance to secure a front-row start alongside the Mercedes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, suggesting the package had delivered meaningful progress.
Now, ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, the reigning world champion says he would welcome another similarly positive surprise: “I hope to be surprised by our competitiveness like we were in Miami, where we definitely took a really good step forward,” Max Verstappen said ahead of the weekend.
The Dutch driver also highlighted the reality of Formula 1’s 2026 development race, where performance can shift rapidly depending on upgrade packages and how effectively teams adapt them to each circuit: “This season will be a long development battle, and weekends will change a lot depending on the updates brought to the track.”
Red Bull focused on closing the gap
Despite the encouraging signs, Max Verstappen made it clear that Red Bull’s broader objective remains reducing the performance deficit to the teams currently setting the pace.
“Our objective is to keep trying to close the gap that separates us from the other top teams,” he explained.
The upcoming stretch of the calendar could prove decisive, with five races scheduled across the next seven weekends, creating little breathing room for teams trying to accelerate development.
“The team is very motivated, and now we’re starting a run of five races in seven weekends where we’ll be trying to keep improving.”
Interestingly, Max Verstappen set a relatively measured benchmark for success in Canada, suggesting that simply being able to consistently fight with Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren would already represent a positive outcome: “Being able to fight with Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren would already be a good result.”
That comment reflects just how competitive the current Formula 1 landscape has become. With margins often determined by hybrid optimisation, setup precision and circuit-specific characteristics, even a driver of Max Verstappen’s calibre knows that raw pace alone may not be enough.
If Red Bull can repeat its Miami momentum, however, the Dutchman could once again become one of the most disruptive figures in the fight at the front in Montreal.
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