Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok has stated Red Bull can take encouragement from its form at a “normal circuit” in the USA last weekend and apply the confidence to the coming rounds.
Verstappen cruised to his third victory in four races at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), bringing himself to within 40 points of championship leader Oscar Piastri.
The Dutchman's strong stint after the summer break started with wins in Italy and Azerbaijan - tracks that suited Red Bull's low downforce package.
However, COTA presented a new challenge for the car's abilities. Nevertheless, Verstappen dominated the weekend, taking pole position for the sprint race and the grand prix, and triumphing at the end of both races.
Chandhok highlighted Red Bull can be confident in its form until the end of the season after fielding a competitive car last weekend.
“For me, this was the most important one, though, of the last four weekends,” Chandhok told Sky F1.
“This was the first normal track. At Monza it was ’Oh, they're good on a low downforce track’.
“Same for Baku. In Singapore, Mercedes suddenly came out and was quickest.
“But this was the first normal track we've been to since Zandvoort. In Zandvoort, the McLaren was clearly ahead.
“It was not the case here. And I think the fact that Red Bull were quickest on the Friday sprint qualifying, and we thought, ‘oh, people haven't dialled their car in, blah, blah, blah’.
“But then the gap got even bigger in the main qualifying. So they're back.
“They are absolutely back. That bodes well for them for the next five weekends.”
Verstappen has dramatically closed the championship deficit, with the margin sitting at 104 points just four rounds ago.
Chandhok theorised that the four-time champion has been able to unlock more pace from himself as a response to Red Bull's recent step forward.
“He can sniff the results,” Chandhok added. “McLaren used to say that with [Ayrton] Senna in the years where the car wasn't quite there.
“On a weekend where they didn't have a chance, he just wasn't there. Where is his motivation to finish third or fourth?
“Suddenly, on a weekend where there was a sniff of a victory, he'd unlock two or three-tenths.
“Max has raised his game.”
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