Red Bull’s latest upgrades spark worrying ‘theory’ about Max Verstappen’s 2026 Formula 1 car

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Red Bull have closed the gap to McLaren in recent races, sparking a worrying ‘theory’ in the F1 paddock over the expected performance of their 2026 challenger.

The Austrian constructor was the only team to bring a brand new development to the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend, which aided star driver Max Verstappen during his drive to second place under the floodlights.

Verstappen’s runner-up trophy in Singapore disappointed Red Bull and is likely to have disappointed the Dutchman himself, due to the fact that he is running out of time to get an advantage over the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the 2025 title fight.

Red Bull’s new development featured a reprofiled front wing, which increased the camber on some sections that enabled it to extract more load whilst maintaining flow stability, perfect for the tight sections of the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

However, whilst many other teams have ceased development of their 2025 car with two eyes already focusing on the new regulations that 2026 will bring, it raises the question of how Red Bull can afford to continue to bring upgrades to the RB21.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen now agrees with Helmut Marko about what Laurent Mekies is saying at Red Bull

F1 paddock ‘theory’ suggests Red Bull have already accepted defeat for the 2026 season

According to a report from UOL, there are currently two theories that are sweeping the F1 paddock.

The first takes into account the fact that Red Bull has had more time for development than McLaren in the current campaign due to their respective standings in last year’s championship and the FIA’s current mandates on wind tunnel usage.

The second considers Red Bull’s stance on their 2026 F1 car, stating that the team ‘knows it won’t be fighting for a championship next year’, hence the willingness to redirect resources back into the current car.

The Milton Keynes-based team are developing their first power unit completely in-house for next season, through the Red Bull Powertrains division and in collaboration with Ford.

A ‘reliable source’ previously revealed that Red Bull’s maiden F1 engine is expected to be off the pace when it hits the track in 2026, which allows engineers to take more risks in the current campaign at another shot of glory.

If the latest from the paddock is anything to go by, the upcoming season may be the final year we see Verstappen don the colours of Red Bull.

His restlessness at the Austrian constructor was prevalent during the middle of the current term, and he’s unlikely to see out the final years of his contract after 2026 if they do not start out on the right foot.

READ MORE: Martin Brundle says Max Verstappen sounds ‘exactly’ like Ayrton Senna with ‘rent-free’ Singapore comment

Max Verstappen may be the only driver on the grid capable of the comeback that he needs

The 28-year-old has cemented himself as one of the greatest drivers to get behind the wheel of an F1 car in recent years, tallying up four world championships for himself at Red Bull.

His skills have been under the spotlight during the current season, due to the fact that the RB21 isn’t as competitive as its predecessors, which has forced Verstappen to push upwards in battles against his rivals.

Verstappen has now replicated a trick of Michael Schumacher’s during his highly successful tenure at Ferrari that saw him win five titles on the trot.

The Dutchman has copied how the seven-time world champion ‘took over’ the Prancing Horse there to build a star-studded team that was capable of building a championship-winning car.

Paired with the fact that the majority of the grid already believes Verstappen is the best driver in the category, the Red Bull man could very well go one step further and replicate Schumacher’s unprecedented record of winning five consecutive championships with the same team.