Red Bull's Race to Regain Momentum: A Battle of Champions

Formula One champions Red Bull aim to ramp up their performance in the remaining six rounds of the season, after Max Verstappen showed unexpected strength in street races in Azerbaijan and Singapore. Red Bull is working on addressing car issues, hoping to close the points gap against McLaren.

Formula One champions Red Bull are striving to pick up the pace in the final six rounds of the season after Max Verstappen's stronger-than-expected performances in Azerbaijan and Singapore, team boss Christian Horner revealed. Verstappen, who will turn 27 next week, saw his lead trim after the Italian Grand Prix at Monza from 62 to 52 points.

The season now faces a four-week break before resuming with a U.S.-Mexico-Brazil stretch starting in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 20, followed by a final triple-header in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. 'We believe we have identified some underlying issues with the car and are addressing them,' Horner told reporters after Verstappen finished second to McLaren's Lando Norris in Singapore.

'We performed better in Baku and here,' said Horner. Verstappen matched his season-worst finish with a fifth place in Baku. Nonetheless, Horner remains optimistic as Red Bull's car is responding well to recent adjustments. The team aims to close the 41-point gap in the constructors' standings, spurred by better car performance insights gained after Monza.

While McLaren holds a theoretical chance in the drivers' championship, Norris has a significant challenge ahead. With three sprint races and 180 points up for grabs, inconsistencies remain. Despite Verstappen's recent eight-race winless streak, his lead is still robust. 'We have a lot of work ahead, but we're optimistic,' Verstappen commented after the Singapore race.

(With inputs from agencies.)