Red Bull secured its first double Formula 1 podium in almost two-and-a-half years at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
Max Verstappen started from eighth on the grid after an internal combustion engine problem severely hampered his qualifying session.
Despite the difficult grid position, Verstappen and rookie team-mate Isack Hadjar surged through the field to finish second and third respectively.
The team identified its Red Bull-Ford power unit as a central factor behind the strong race pace demonstrated throughout the Baku weekend.
Team boss Laurent Mekies explained that maximising the power unit requires extremely precise management, stating: “We have a fantastic PU, we have a fairly narrow band to use it at best.”
Mekies added that every circuit presents its own energy management challenge, saying: “Getting the right energy management, getting the right deployment and getting the right power is certainly something that keeps us busy.”
Red Bull holds the distinction of running the most powerful internal combustion engine on the grid, a significant advantage on Baku’s long, high-speed straights.
Sister team Racing Bulls, which runs the same power unit, topped the speed trap during the race with Liam Lawson clocking 349.4km/h, underlining the engine’s straight-line strength.
Both Verstappen and Hadjar also featured inside the top ten for highest race speeds, confirming the power unit advantage extended across both Red Bull-affiliated drivers.
Mekies acknowledged that Verstappen’s engine failure in qualifying had cost the team dearly, saying: “It has cost us a lot yesterday. But that’s what it is, that’s part of the game.”
The team principal was clear that Verstappen had the pace for a front-row start, noting he “probably would have been fighting for that first row or more yesterday without the issues we had with the PU.”
A replacement engine fitted for the race allowed Verstappen to recover to the level the team had originally anticipated, with Mekies confirming it “allowed us to go back to the competitive level that we were hoping to have.”
Verstappen himself believed Baku represented Red Bull’s strongest opportunity for a first win in 2026, with dominant Mercedes preparing a major upgrade package for the following round in Malaysia.
Mekies pointed to the shifting performance order throughout the season as evidence that upgrades have played a decisive role in determining competitiveness at each round.
He highlighted that despite Red Bull not bringing a major package between Australia and Baku, the team had nonetheless closed the gap, noting they were “a tenth-and-a-half from pole in Madrid” and “two tenths from pole in Monza.”
Red Bull has confirmed it will not deliver another major upgrade package before the season concludes, yet Mekies remains optimistic the team can still find opportunities to end what would otherwise be the team’s first win-less season since 2015.