Even amid a tumultuous season so far, Max Verstappen is still enjoying the sport he has dominated for years. The Red Bull driver finds himself 69 points behind leader Oscar Piastri but remains positive halfway through the season.After four consecutive championship-winning campaigns, Verstappen is having an unusually subdued year. Ahead of the Belgium Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen sits third in the standings, having won only twice this season, his last win coming nearly two months ago at the Emilia-Romagna GP.Yet, when asked by The New York Times whether he was still having fun despite the circumstances, Verstappen said:"I'm having enough fun, yes. Some bits are not fun, but the most important thing that I enjoy is driving the car. And that is fun."Max Verstappen remains the lifeline of Red Bull Racing, scoring 165 of the team’s 172 points. But he has failed to get consistent victories, especially with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris soaring at McLaren. He currently sits third in the standings, 61 points behind Norris in P2, with the air of invincibility he carried through 2021 to 2024 seemingly dissolved.Max Verstappen (1) before the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone. Source: GettyThe RB21 is a shadow of its predecessor, at times fast, but often unpredictable. Yuki Tsunoda, who was called up to replace Liam Lawson earlier this year, has struggled to match his consistency, scoring just seven points since his Red Bull promotion. Off the track, the team is undergoing a seismic shift in leadership following the July 9 exit of long-time team principal Christian Horner.Verstappen explained the reason behind his joy:"Working with all the incredibly talented and smart people within the team, pushing myself in the car to get the best out of it, and the competition, naturally, with all the other drivers. Just trying to win at the end of the day. Of course, if you really have no chance to win anymore and I have to drive in the midfield, then fun will disappear very quickly.”For now, the fun hangs by a thread.Max Verstappen welcomes new life with Laurent Mekies at the helmRed Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Max Verstappen at Melbourne, 2024. Source: GettyMax Verstappen enters Spa Francorchamps during one of the most dramatic transitions in the Red Bull Racing camp in years. After more than two decades, Christian Horner has stepped down from his role as team principal. His tenure defined the two golden eras for Red Bull with Sebastian Vettel (2009-13) and Verstappen (2021-24).Laurent Mekies will officially assume control from the Belgian Grand Prix onward. Formerly with Racing Bulls and Ferrari, he inherits a Red Bull team in transition. McLaren has surged ahead, Mercedes is re-emerging, and Ferrari remains a threat on good days. The team currently sits fourth in the Constructors' Championship, trailing McLaren by 288 points.But Verstappen is welcoming the change."I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim with the team. I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent," he told F1.Verstappen has never driven an F1 season without Horner leading the outfit. As Red Bull prepares for a new era, Verstappen now faces the dual challenge of adapting to Mekies and performing at a high level.Looking ahead to Spa-Francorchamps, a track where Verstappen, who is half-Belgian, feels especially at home, he seems ready to regroup. With the title increasingly distant, the next phase of Red Bull’s identity starts here.Meanwhile, Mekies has already begun shaping his new surroundings, with Verstappen and Tsunoda both reiterating the need for internal focus.But for the first time in years, Max Verstappen isn't chasing perfection. He's chasing balance. And in 2025, that may be the harder race.