Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko has revealed Max Verstappen "lost a bit of interest" in the current F1 season when the Milton Keynes-based squad could not provide him a competitive package.
The Dutchman is pursuing a fifth-consecutive F1 drivers' championship, but earlier in the campaign, all hope of matching Michael Schumacher's record run from 2000 to 2004 had looked lost.
However, a floor update delivered to the RB21 at the Italian Grand Prix has vaulted the Red Bull driver back into contention against the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, despite the MCL39 being the far superior car for much of the year.
Internal changes at the six-time constructors' champions, following the appointment of Laurent Mekies as team principal, have also transformed Red Bull's — and Verstappen's — recent fortunes.
When asked by Sky Sports F1 what those new ways of working are, Marko replied: "Different approach from the engineering side, they're working very well together. They ask the drivers what they want.
"And we developed the car... and in the end, then it's Max who delivers — you can rely on that."
After the sprint at the United States Grand Prix, where both McLaren drivers failed to finish, Verstappen is just 55 points behind Piastri in his quest for what would arguably be his finest hour in F1.
However, according to Marko, the 67-time grand prix winner had started to lose interest when his title chances initially faded.
"Max, at one stage, when we were not competitive, I would say he lost a little bit of interest," the 82-year-old explained.
"He was more interested in GT racing. So, to keep him in a good mood, I was talking about Nurburgring and things like that."
As highlighted by the Austrian, Verstappen lent into his extra-curricular interests, winning on debut in GT3 machinery at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife.
But, with an improved RB21 has come a renewed sense of purpose from Verstappen, who has clawed his way back into improbable title contention with two victories and a second place in the past three grand prix.
"But now that the car is working, and his success at the Nurburgring, and I would say two-tenths just came from him, because he's really motivated," Marko added. "He's enjoying [things].
"You don't hear him shouting; he's smiling. So that's what you need."
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