How RB18 F1 car diet energised Verstappen’s title charge

Amid all the dominant form that means he could capture the crown at next weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, it is easy to forget the dramas that overshadowed the start of the campaign.

In fact, early on in the year, it appeared that his championship challenge could be over before it started, as a spate of reliability dramas allowed main rival Charles Leclerc to open up a pretty hefty advantage in the drivers’ championship.

Then, once Red Bull had finally got its…