From a staggering 97-point deficit to just 40 in five race weekends after the summer break — it’s the most dramatic turnaround in ages, and Max Verstappen is making the Formula One World Championship thrilling again. Naturally, that kind of recovery puts other teams on alert. In Italy, some now claim that Red Bull Racing’s recent miracle is nothing but a “copy” of a system developed by Ferrari. The Comeback Verstappen and Red Bull have quietly, relentlessly chipped away at their deficit.
After the summer break, the Dutchman posted back-to-back wins and a marked uptick in pace and reliability. As one feature put it, he “went from writing off his title hopes to storming back into the championship fight.” F1i.com +1 The combination of new upgrades and a deeper car understanding has paid off: the team found “a good way with the car,” as Verstappen put it.
F1i.com At the 2025 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, the team’s performance offered a stark demonstration: Verstappen claimed pole position with what was reported as the fastest lap in Formula 1 history, thanks largely to a low-downforce rear-wing configuration that improved straight-line speed. Wikipedia +1 That upgrade shows exactly how Red Bull turned a weakness into a strength.
The Ferrari Copy Allegation In Italy, the chatter is that Red Bull’s resurgence may stem from an aerodynamic and setup philosophy that mirrors recent Ferrari developments. The suggestion is that Red Bull has adopted—or borrowed—key ideas around suspension balance, floor design or aero-efficiency that were initially honed in Maranello. While there is no smoking gun, the racing world is watching closely as the “copying” claim adds extra intrigue to the paddock.
Bigger Stakes Now This shift means the title fight is no longer just a matter of which driver drives best — it's also a duel of engineering ingenuity and strategic execution. Ferrari, eager to reclaim momentum, will feel the pressure: either they secure their advantage or risk watching Red Bull extend dominance via innovation and adaptation. For McLaren and others, the window to capitalise is narrowing as Red Bull appears to have found its form.
What’s Next? With the gap shrunk dramatically and the momentum in Red Bull’s favour, the grandstand view in F1 has changed. Every tyre degradation, pit-stop error, and aerodynamic tweak now carries heavier weight. As Verstappen himself admitted: “We need to be perfect until the end to have a chance.” F1i.com Meanwhile, Ferrari and others must decide: play catch-up with straightforward upgrades, or leap-frog with bold design moves of their own? In Formula 1, innovation and imitation are never far apart — and right now, Red Bull is proving that revival may come from both.
