Verstappen Highlights First “Normal” Race of the Season

Max Verstappen described the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix as his first “normal” race of the season after enduring a difficult start to the Formula 1 campaign filled with technical problems, incidents, and inconsistent performance. The Red Bull Racing driver finally secured his first podium finish of the year at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after taking third place behind race winner Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton.

The RB22 has so far proven to be one of the biggest technical challenges Verstappen has faced during the current ground-effect era. Red Bull’s 2026 car has struggled with balance consistency across different circuit characteristics, particularly regarding aerodynamic stability, front-end response, and tyre degradation. Verstappen himself has repeatedly admitted that he has not yet felt fully comfortable with the package.

Although Red Bull introduced significant upgrades in Miami and initially showed signs of progress, the car again appeared inconsistent in Canada. However, the chaotic nature of the race created an opportunity for Verstappen to fight near the front. McLaren’s controversial decision to start Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on intermediate tyres, combined with George Russell’s power unit failure, allowed Verstappen to battle Hamilton for a podium position.

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The duel between Verstappen and Hamilton became one of the most entertaining moments of the closing stages. Both drivers benefited from the energy-management characteristics of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where slipstreaming and deployment efficiency played a major role.

“Yeah, it was very good. I enjoyed it a lot,” Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.

“When you are within a second around here, you’re allowed to spend a bit more energy and gain speed on the straights. Around here that’s very effective.”

Ultimately, Verstappen could not hold off Hamilton’s pressure, with the Ferrari driver securing his best result since joining the Scuderia. Nevertheless, Montréal still represented a major positive turning point for Verstappen following a string of difficult weekends at the beginning of the season.

The Dutchman crashed during qualifying at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix before retiring in China. At Suzuka, he could only finish eighth during one of his most difficult weekends in recent years, while in Miami a first-lap spin forced him into a recovery drive from the midfield to fifth place.

“The last few laps, I tried to get back, but it was good. We were pushing flat out and it was very nice for me,” Verstappen said.

“I think it’s also my first race where I basically had a normal race and nothing crazy happened. So that’s also nice.”

Verstappen’s comments underline how consistency has become Red Bull’s biggest challenge under the latest regulations. While overall race pace appears to be improving, the team still needs to solve the RB22’s core balance problems if Verstappen is to remain firmly in contention for the world championship as the season enters a more decisive phase.