Verstappen chases first 2026 win after podium streak
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 1, 2026
Verstappen’s push
Max Verstappen wants at least one win this season, and his recent run has moved that goal within reach. The Red Bull driver said he is getting closer after a series of podium finishes that have kept him in the fight for momentum, even if the championship picture stays out of reach. Verstappen finished second in Azerbaijan and missed victory by less than two tenths of a second behind George Russell. That came in the middle of a strong stretch, with five podiums in his last six races. It has given him a clearer sense that a season-first win is there for the taking if Red Bull can keep delivering a car that gives him a chance at the front.
Red Bull’s progress
Red Bull’s recent form has turned after a difficult first half of the season, and Verstappen says the last few weekends have been much better than the start of 2026. The team is fourth in the Teams’ Championship, a position that reflects how far it has had to climb after an uneven opening stretch. Recent upgrades have helped, and Verstappen sees the results in the podiums and in the cleaner race weekends. He also knows the work is far from done. Red Bull still needs to see how its upgraded car performs across different tracks, and Verstappen says the remaining races will help the team learn what the car needs for next season. That makes the current run about more than points. It gives Red Bull live data from race to race, which can shape the next phase of the program and show whether the recent gains hold up outside the tracks where the car has already worked well.
Next targets
Verstappen is clear about the bigger picture. He says Red Bull is not fighting for the championship, and he believes Mercedes still look faster. That leaves the team chasing progress rather than a title push, with the focus on making the next step forward. Verstappen said he hopes Red Bull can improve again next year, and he may be looking toward 2027 as a realistic target. That outlook fits the shape of the season now, with eight rounds left and a car that has improved but still needs more answers. Verstappen also has a place where he likes the chances, Sepang, where he won the last Formula 1 race held there in 2017. He says he has good memories of the circuit, which gives him another reason to welcome the final stretch of the year. For Verstappen, the message is simple. The podiums have built momentum, Red Bull has made progress, and the chase for a win now runs through the last races of the season and into the work ahead.
