Max Verstappen's opinion of the F1 regulations remains unchanged, but after Red Bull's problems at the start of 2026, his victory in Malaysia is an emotional one. The fact that it is the first triumph with Red Bull's own engine adds extra significance to a weekend filled with intense drama and high stakes at the Sepang International Circuit.
"72, mate! 72!", Verstappen said over the team radio immediately after crossing the finish line. It logically refers to the Dutchman’s number of Formula 1 victories, but this 72nd win prompted more emotion than many of the 71 that came before it. Of course, Verstappen has experienced much more special moments in his F1 career, and his previous victory in Malaysia in 2017 was emotional as well, but this one certainly counts.
In a way, there is a similarity between Verstappen’s victory nine years ago and this year’s. Back then, a winless year was also looming and Verstappen managed to prevent that scenario in Malaysia. The same has happened again now, although there are also three crucial differences.
The first difference is that Verstappen has experienced a great deal in the intervening nine years, not least winning four world titles. It has shaped him as a person and a driver and given him greater peace of mind, as he acknowledged when asked by Motorsport.com: "It is different now compared to before 2021. Of course, I have won the championship four times by now and taken many victories. I think that means you approach things slightly differently. When the opportunity is there, of course you always go for it fully, but with a little less risk than back then. I can put everything into perspective a bit better now."
Nevertheless, the Sepang win visibly meant something to him and the team. That is related to the second factor that has been different this year: Red Bull found itself in a deep hole at the start of the new regulatory cycle. Although the power unit – especially the internal combustion engine – was immediately competitive, the initial package on the chassis side was below par, reminding many of the difficult races in China and Japan where the team fought in the midfield.
Logically, that is not how one of F1’s big four teams wanted to start a new era, and it made the opening months difficult alongside Verstappen’s frustration over the rules. Reflecting on the recovery, he stated, "We’ve had a very complicated and tough start to the year with all sorts of problems and just not being competitive enough. But throughout the year, the team has been working very hard to understand our issues and bring good performance upgrades to the car to make it more driveable."
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