What happened: Red Bull Racing recognized Max Verstappen, who brought a custom Wild West helmet to Austin, and his No. 3 garage crew following Sunday's United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. After qualifying on the front row in second place, the Dutch driver secured the final spot on the podium in third. Teammate Isack Hadjar started third on the grid and finished sixth to complete a double-points outing.

Why it matters: Verstappen noted afterward that the car lacked the pace and consistency the team wanted over the full distance despite salvaging a top-three finish. Slipping one spot from his front-row starting position while Leclerc climbed from fourth to second highlights the race-trim deficit the team must address.

What to watch: Red Bull shifts focus to reviewing the Austin telemetry and tire degradation data ahead of the next round on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.