Max Verstappen has once again demonstrated his ability to turn his rivals’ mistakes into opportunities, climbing to second place in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship after winning the Mexico City Grand Prix. With 261 points and Red Bull showing significant improvements in recent races, the four-time world champion heads into the Brazilian Grand Prix with another chance to strengthen his position.
Formula 1 is approaching the midpoint of the week between the Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix, with the championship leaving the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez following a weekend that produced a new world champion and several records. At just 20 years old, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has brought Italy back to the top of Formula 1, completing a season in which he has been one of the outstanding protagonists.
However, Mexico City also provided another major talking point involving Ferrari. The Italian team appeared to have a potential victory within its grasp, only for the opportunity to disappear following the events involving its two drivers. The race once again raised questions about Ferrari’s management of both its season and its drivers, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc seemingly increasingly focused on establishing which of them should have the upper hand.
Yet another driver emerged from the weekend with a significant result, even if his achievement received somewhat less attention because of the Ferrari controversy. That driver was Max Verstappen, who has not dominated the 2026 season but continues to make his presence felt, helped by Red Bull’s technical and sporting recovery.
Max Verstappen’s F1 comeback shows his ability to capitalise without the fastest car
Max Verstappen has done what Formula 1 fans have become accustomed to seeing throughout his career. Even when victory appears unlikely and he does not have the machinery required to fight for the world championship, the Dutchman remains ready to take advantage of opportunities created by his opponents.
Ferrari potentially had victory within its reach in Mexico City, but the clash between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc changed the course of the race. As Verstappen himself acknowledged, the events involving the two Ferrari drivers played a decisive role in allowing him to finish on the top step of the podium.
There was another championship battle unfolding in Mexico, separate from Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s title triumph and the Constructors’ Championship that Mercedes is expected to secure. That contest concerns second place in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings, a position occupied at different stages of the season by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Race after race, Verstappen has worked his way up the standings, first moving ahead of Charles Leclerc, then George Russell and finally Lewis Hamilton. He now sits directly behind the newly crowned world champion, with 261 points to his name.
Looking back at the earlier stages of the season, few would have expected such a turnaround. The battle near the top of the championship appeared likely to be dominated by the Ferrari and Mercedes drivers, leaving Verstappen with limited opportunities to challenge them.
Instead, the Dutchman has once again shown that nothing can be taken for granted in Formula 1. Every detail, however small, can make the difference, and Verstappen has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to exploit those details better than almost anyone else on the grid.
This is not the first time he has managed to turn an apparently unfavourable situation into a meaningful championship battle. His pursuit of second place in 2026 follows a similar pattern to his remarkable recovery during the previous season. Although finishing runner-up may carry less significance now that the world title has been decided, there is still plenty for Verstappen to gain or lose, with four races remaining.
Several upcoming circuits could also suit Red Bull. Following its recent upgrades, the RB22 has appeared increasingly competitive on high-downforce tracks, making Interlagos a potentially favourable venue. Qatar and, potentially, Abu Dhabi could also prove well suited to the car’s characteristics.
How Max Verstappen’s 2025 F1 comeback followed a similar pattern
To understand Verstappen’s ability to capitalise on the mistakes of his rivals, it is worth looking back at the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Dutchman played a more prominent role in that championship than he has in 2026, although McLaren had clearly established itself as the technical benchmark on the grid.
The fight for the world title was primarily between McLaren team-mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, whose car appeared almost unbeatable for much of the campaign. Despite that advantage, Verstappen refused to disappear from contention.
Race after race, the Red Bull driver found ways to bring himself back into the championship battle, eventually remaining in contention until the final Grand Prix of the season. Such was the intensity of that fight that, after the last race, he asked his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase whether Charles Leclerc had caught and overtaken Lando Norris, a result that could have helped him secure a fifth career world championship.
McLaren’s campaign was marked by strategic mistakes on the pit wall and errors involving its two drivers, both determined to become world champion, win individual races and establish themselves ahead of their team-mate. Once again, Verstappen was the driver waiting to take advantage of whatever opportunities his competitors left behind.
That ability to recognise and exploit openings is one of the most valuable qualities Verstappen has demonstrated over recent seasons. Regardless of whether supporters admire his personality or racing approach, his performances offer important lessons about consistency, determination and the importance of maximising every opportunity.
His career and the way Red Bull has developed around him make for a particularly distinctive story in modern Formula 1. Yet his greatest strength arguably becomes most apparent when he lowers his visor and presses the accelerator, finding performance in a car that does not always appear capable of delivering the results he achieves.
Why the 2026 Brazilian GP could favour Max Verstappen and Red Bull
The Brazilian Grand Prix could provide another opportunity for Max Verstappen to capitalise on Red Bull’s improved competitiveness. Since introducing upgrades at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, the team has made noticeable progress at circuits where higher levels of downforce are required.
Interlagos could therefore represent another favourable venue for the four-time world champion, particularly given his previous success at the circuit. Verstappen has won there on several occasions and produced another remarkable performance in 2025, when he started from the pit lane and recovered through the field to finish third, immediately behind the driver who has now become Formula 1 world champion.
That recovery highlighted his ability to extract results even from difficult starting positions, a quality that has remained central to his performances this year. With the RB22 now appearing more competitive, the Brazilian weekend presents another opportunity to build on the momentum gained in recent races.
Rain at Interlagos could create another opportunity for Verstappen
Interlagos is also a circuit where Verstappen has repeatedly demonstrated his exceptional ability in wet conditions. Weather forecasts suggest that rain could be a significant possibility during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, potentially creating another opportunity for the Red Bull driver to demonstrate his skills in challenging circumstances.
Verstappen has already delivered impressive performances in similar situations, including taking pole position at Sepang. Should qualifying at Interlagos take place in the rain, or under similarly difficult weather conditions, another outstanding performance cannot be ruled out.
With Red Bull’s technical recovery continuing and Verstappen now occupying second place in the championship, the Brazilian Grand Prix offers another chance to turn an opportunity into a valuable result. Much like his 2025 campaign, the Dutchman has shown that even without the strongest car throughout the season, he remains capable of extracting the maximum from the circumstances around him.
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