Max Verstappen on Red Bull's Resilience: 'Never Give Up'

Max Verstappen has shed light on the mindset that has helped him transform Red Bull's fortunes from midfield contenders to title challengers. Over the past two seasons, Verstappen has been instrumental in pulling Red Bull out of relative obscurity and back into the spotlight.

Verstappen Highlights Red Bull's Tenacity

Red Bull started each of the last two seasons trailing behind the leading teams in the race for both the Drivers' and Constructors' championships. While Verstappen did manage to secure a few victories in the early part of 2025, McLaren largely dominated that phase. This year, Red Bull's early struggles were even more pronounced.

In 2025, Verstappen's remarkable comeback saw him finish as runner-up in the championship, just two points shy of the title. This season, a recent streak of three wins in the last five races has vaulted him into second place, overtaking both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who had been battling for that spot most of the year.

When asked about his ability to adapt and thrive across different car generations, Verstappen remarked, "It’s a big surprise to be second, to be honest, in the championship, but we take it. We faced many difficulties as a team initially, with the car not performing as desired. We had a lot to learn about the power units, but we've gained substantial insights throughout the season."

A hallmark of Verstappen's career has been his knack for extracting the maximum potential from any car. Reflecting on his recent form, he added, "The car has become a lot more competitive lately. From my side, you never really give up or settle for P6 or P7. Even when in the midfield, I was always trying to get the best out of the situation. Sometimes, that meant a P6 when the car couldn't do better.

"But as the car's performance improved, we could challenge further up the grid and win races. Winning allows you to take points from others, and that's been the case in the recent races. I'm thrilled with that, but it also shows that the team never gave up. They worked tirelessly to find improvements and understand our challenges. I'm just happy we managed such a significant turnaround within the season."