That relentless machine from Milton Keynes has found its stride again. As Motorsport.com reports, Oscar Piastri believes Red Bull has transformed into Formula 1's most consistently quick car following a wave of recent upgrades that have completely shifted the competitive landscape.
Heading into the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, the gap in the constructors' championship sits at a razor-thin seven points in favor of the papaya-coloured cars. Max Verstappen has engineered a sudden gold rush with back-to-back victories in Malaysia and Singapore, putting immense pressure on the Woking squad. Piastri laid it out plainly in the press conference, pointing directly to the upgrades introduced in Baku as the catalyst for a massive step forward that culminated in a double podium and subsequent dominance.
While the Australian initially expected Ferrari to set the benchmark across the calendar, Red Bull's sudden surge caught him off guard. "So over the last few weeks, Red Bull's definitely become, I would say, the most consistently quick car," Piastri explained. He noted that the machine was definitively stronger than their own over that stretch, though he acknowledged the challengers at the front keep rotating.
Life inside the Woking garage has hardly been a cruise. McLaren claimed the constructors' championship last year, but reigning champion Lando Norris has described their current challenger as "mentally exhausting" to drive. Piastri admitted that hopes of a commanding finish to the campaign have taken a hit as rival outfits make rapid strides. Mid-season momentum made victories and regular podiums feel attainable again, but Formula 1 has a ruthless way of pulling teams back down a few pegs.
Not everyone inside the rival camp is ready to crown them just yet, though. Sitting alongside him in the press room, Isack Hadjar pushed back against the tag, arguing that they do not possess the fastest car and pointing to Ferrari's pace in Singapore.
Now, Verstappen chases another victory in Austin while McLaren fights desperately to protect their position in the standings.
