'I don't see a weakness' – Palmer hails 'formidable' Red Bull as Verstappen's revival rattles the grid
Red Bull have gone from a team in apparent crisis to one of the most feared outfits on the grid, and the scale of that transformation was the central talking point on the latest episode of the official F1 Nation podcast, presented by AWS – Global AI partner of Formula 1.
Just a few months ago, speculation was rife that Max Verstappen was weighing up his options away from Milton Keynes as the team struggled to adapt to the sport's new regulations. Yet after losing ground to Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, the Dutchman was convinced to extend his contract through to 2030 and remain with the team that has helped him secure four Drivers' Championships. A relentless programme of upgrades has since powered a dramatic step forward, enabling Verstappen to win in Malaysia and Singapore and haul himself into contention for a P2 finish in the standings.
A turnaround no one saw coming
Red Bull's resurgence would have been almost impossible to predict at the start of the season, when the team scored just 16 points across the opening three rounds. On F1 Nation, former Renault F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and broadcaster Alex Jacques dissected how impressive the progress has been.
“I look at the Red Bull with the upgrades and the weaknesses that we used to hear about don't seem to be there,” Palmer said. “They're good at kerb riding. I think Max mentioned the downshifts once in Singapore, because he starts to feel the instability as he's banging down the gears, but they've been able to dial that out for years anyway. Right now, I don't see a weakness in it.”
Elaborating on Verstappen's performances, Jacques highlighted how the machinery has finally caught up with the driver's rare talents.
“He had a car that didn't unlock the entire potential of his difference-making driving ability, which is that super sensitive front end that a hatful of very talented drivers in the second Red Bull car couldn't live with,” Jacques said. “Ironically, it's an update at the rear of the car that's unlocked the overall balance. And now suddenly you have Max with total confidence, with the machine that is working entirely to his liking.
“He's finished a tenth away in Baku, he's rattled off everything he can win since, and [has] super high confidence for a driver who was mulling whether it was worth staying with the team in recent times.”
Even bigger than McLaren's rise?
Red Bull's transformation invites comparison with the one McLaren enjoyed en route to their title-winning seasons in 2024 and 2025 – but Palmer argued that the Milton Keynes-based outfit have overcome even greater obstacles.
“When you look at the whole picture here, the uptrend for Red Bull is massive,” the former Renault F1 driver explained. “We've spoken for years about McLaren's turnaround in form a couple of years ago. It was huge when Lando [Norris] came from being nowhere, to suddenly we were thinking, 'can he fight for a championship?' before he did.
“But I think this Red Bull turnaround in form might be on paper, when you look at the percentage difference, I think it's got to be the biggest, if they can cement it through these final races. After six races, he was 113 points behind Kimi Antonelli. In the 11 races since, he's lost six points to Kimi. If you started the championship after Monaco, Max will be champion.
“That's the incredible form that he showed when he didn't have the fastest car and now he does. He's formidable and I think he's got everyone else almost fearing the battle with him. There's almost a sense of resignation when you take on Max from the rest of the field.”
Mekies the galvaniser
Verstappen's commitment to Red Bull was partly influenced by his strong relationship with Team Principal Laurent Mekies, who recently signed a contract extension that runs through the 2031 season. Reflecting on the Frenchman's leadership, Palmer was full of praise.
“I think he's been remarkable. What a hire to replace such a big character as Christian Horner. It felt like it was a poisoned chalice when he took over because the ship was sinking, wasn't it?” Palmer said. “It seemed like things were looking difficult. They throw Laurent into the mix and you think, 'oh, he has got a big job, some high-profile names going, Max disgruntled, team falling away...'
“But he managed to galvanise them so well last season and even this year sort of just trying to get the ball moving again. And he's managed to keep the team with the full focus on winning races this season, when it could have really spiralled out of control early on. So I think Laurent has done a superb job and, looking forward to next year, you've got stability there.
“The powertrains department, what a superb job they've done. You don't even need to give Max the best car for him to be champion, I don't think. If he has a fighting chance, I think he'll start the [2027] season as favourite and the way that the team galvanised behind him – Isack Hadjar, we're not going to be thinking he can be champion – and I think that probably does help Max.
“The single-mindedness that Red Bull still have, post-Christian Horner, with Laurent coming in the team, gelling immediately with Max, I think that is still a key thing for the Drivers' Championship.”
Jacques added further colour on Mekies' approach, recalling the team boss's very first address to his staff.
“I remember when he gave his first remarks, that the first thing he said to the personnel there was 'what a race team this is',” Jacques summarised. “He almost had to remind them of their capabilities and their stature in the sport as one of the most successful teams in recent times.
“So there was an element of the psychology of where that team was. All the headlines had been negative for a really long time. Then he had to make sure that the people that were replacing the big characters were up to it – they've all done very well. Then he had to make sure that Verstappen committed long-term, because if there was a brain drain before, the moment Max walks out on that team would have been an exodus. He did all of those. He thoroughly deserves his contract extension.”
The wider US Grand Prix picture
Red Bull and Verstappen's momentum was just one of the talking points to emerge in the F1 Nation United States Grand Prix preview, with Palmer and Jacques joining host Tom Clarkson on the show. Fans keen to hear the full episode can stream it via the audio player or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.