Ford Hails 'Landmark' Red Bull Max Verstappen Podium

Max Verstappen finally returned to the podium in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, finishing third behind winner Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari). The result is the first top-three finish for Red Bull since partnering with Ford on its new in-house power unit, a key validation after a difficult start to the 2026 season under the major regulations overhaul.

Why it matters:

The podium is a crucial morale boost for Red Bull and its technical partner Ford, who have faced criticism — especially from Verstappen — over the new power unit's performance and reliability. It signals that the partnership, which began with a phone call in 2022, is making tangible progress toward competing at the front.

The details:

• Ford Racing boss Mark Rushbrook called the result "a landmark moment" for the joint project, praising the "remarkable effort" that went into preparing for the 2026 season.
• Verstappen's teammate Isack Hadjar finished fifth, his best result since being promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull.
• It was the first time in two years that a Red Bull driver other than Verstappen finished in the top five of a grand prix — the last being Sergio Perez at the 2024 Miami race.
• The strong double-points finish helped silence some of the noise around the team's form, especially the speculation over Verstappen's long-term future in F1.

What's next:

With the first podium now in the books, Red Bull and Ford will aim to build consistency. Rushbrook expressed optimism: "We cannot wait to see where the rest of the season takes us off the back of today's milestone." The result may also ease tensions within the team and buy time for further power unit development as the season progresses.