Red Bull Secures Double Podium at Azerbaijan GP Powered by Red Bull-Ford Engine

At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, Red Bull achieved its first double podium in nearly two and a half years, with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finishing second and third respectively. Verstappen had qualified in eighth position following an internal combustion engine issue during Q3. Team principal Laurent Mekies stated that after replacing the engine for the race, Verstappen was able to return to the competitive level he had shown since Friday.

Mekies highlighted the Red Bull-Ford power unit—assessed by the FIA as the most powerful on the grid—as key to their performance. Managing energy deployment within its narrow performance window enabled the team to maximize straight-line speed in Baku. Sister team Racing Bulls, which runs the same engines, saw Liam Lawson top the race speed trap at 349.4 km/h, while both Verstappen and Hadjar ranked among the top ten highest speeds.

Although Red Bull confirmed it will not introduce another major upgrade package this year, Mekies expressed optimism about remaining competitive, pointing to how the team had closed performance gaps at previous races in Madrid and Monza. Meanwhile, Verstappen considered Baku to be potentially the team's best chance for a victory in 2026, ahead of Mercedes introducing a major upgrade package at the upcoming Bahrain GP in Malaysia.