Verstappen targets first win as Red Bull builds momentum

Max Verstappen says he is closing in on his goal of winning at least one race this season after a run of podium finishes lifted Red Bull’s form.

Asked about his recent points haul against Ferrari and McLaren, Verstappen stressed that Mercedes remains the benchmark. “Unfortunately, we’re not outscoring Mercedes. They’re actually the fastest ones, or at least they were for most of the season,” he said. “We are scoring quite a few podiums now, but I want to win.”

Baku progress, with more to prove

“I’m getting close, but I want at least to win one race this year, so I hope we can do it at some point,” he said.

Red Bull will use the coming races to assess how its car performs across different types of circuit. Verstappen described the remainder of the season as a learning opportunity, with the team outside the championship fight and focused on identifying what it wants from the car for next year. He said the last few weekends had been considerably better than the start of the campaign.

Looking beyond the immediate result

Verstappen acknowledged that catching Mercedes could be difficult, particularly with the Silver Arrows expected to bring an upgrade to the Bahrain Grand Prix. “Normally, if you bring an upgrade, it should go faster,” he said, adding that Red Bull would keep pushing each weekend and see where that effort led.

The Dutchman also recalled positive experiences at Sepang, the venue of his most recent victory there during Formula 1’s last event at the circuit in 2017. He praised its layout, while remembering the high degradation, heat and physical demands of driving there.

For now, Verstappen’s immediate target is clear: turn Red Bull’s improving podium form into a win before the season ends, while using the remaining races to gather lessons for the next campaign.