Verstappen: Red Bull Finds Pace After 'Paper Car' Critique

Less than a month after describing his Red Bull as "made of paper" due to car degradation issues, Max Verstappen secured pole position in Malaysia. The dramatic turnaround highlights the team's progress in addressing component deterioration that affected performance during races.

Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged that while immediate issues have been resolved, the fundamental degradation problem may not be fully fixed by the 2026 season. Despite this challenge, Verstappen's improved qualifying performance demonstrates Red Bull's ability to adapt between races. truewildslot.com