done just after one race and with a big gap to the next
which sounds like it was planned in advance to me
Agreed. The team have been struggling for a while. They have one car which can be set up in such a way that Max can win races in it, but which is undrivable by anyone else. Horner has got though 6 or 7 second drivers and they are all having the same problems. Red Bull aren't even close to coming in the top 3 for the Constructors championship. Max is struggling to come 3rd. He's ahead at the moment, but there are 12 races left and he only has a lead of 19 points over Russell. If Ferrari can make their car just a bit more competitive there is still time for him to be overtaken by LeClerc and Hamilton as well.
Credit to Max, he is making the RB Car do things that on paper it shouldn't be able to do. He is an incredibly talented driver, albeit dislikeable and prone to temper tantrums. Wolff will be aware that George is a good, reliable driver and Antonelli makes a good teammate, but also that it's a bit likely that Russell maybe doesn't have the streak of ruthlessness needed to be World Champion.
At the moment, the fight is between Merc and Ferrari. Not Red Bull.