Jonas Leo
Red Bull Racing’s reigning Formula 1 World Champion, Max Verstappen, has publicly acknowledged the significant challenge awaiting him in the 2025 season, stating that "a lot of luck" will be required to tilt the championship battle in his favour. Concurrently, Verstappen voiced his surprise at the recent shift in McLaren’s intra-team dynamics, particularly Oscar Piastri’s downturn in performance, which he described as "very bizarre."
Verstappen’s remarks come as the 2024 season draws to a close, with the Dutchman reflecting on a period of fluctuating fortunes for both Red Bull and their resurgent rivals, McLaren. While he has managed to more than halve his deficit to the top of the 2024 F1 standings since the Zandvoort Grand Prix, Verstappen remains pragmatic about the underlying performance gap.
"I think closing the gap that quickly has happened partly because all circumstances came together," Verstappen stated ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. He elaborated on the confluence of factors that aided Red Bull’s recent gains, pointing to "a few mistakes after the summer break or had a crash" from competitors, juxtaposed with "some good races in which everything came together" for his own team. This combination, he noted, allowed for rapid accumulation of points.
Despite this recent momentum, the race weekends in Mexico City and Brazil served as a stark reminder that such gains are not guaranteed, particularly against a strong McLaren outfit. Verstappen secured a dominant victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, while the Brazilian Grand Prix saw another strong performance, albeit one overshadowed by incidents involving other teams. However, the Red Bull driver emphasized that consistent outright pace might still be insufficient without external factors playing a role.
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"At some point, you come back to reality and know that it won’t go like that everywhere," Verstappen conceded. Nevertheless, he drew positives from Red Bull’s recent form. "But at least we’ve been on the podium the last couple of races, and that’s already a lot more consistent than what it was from mid-2024 to mid-2025. So, in the end it’s still positive." This forward-looking assessment indicates Verstappen’s awareness of the sustained challenge McLaren poses, particularly as the sport transitions into the 2025 season, where their current trajectory positions them as formidable title contenders.
The Remarkable Turnaround in the McLaren Intra-Team Battle
The period Verstappen referenced also coincides with a dramatic reversal in McLaren’s internal driver battle. Earlier in the 2024 season, particularly after Lando Norris’s engine failure at his home race in Zandvoort, Oscar Piastri appeared to be building significant momentum, enjoying a string of strong finishes that saw him outperforming his more experienced teammate. At that juncture, Piastri was seen by many as poised for a career-best championship finish, potentially even challenging for a top-three spot in the drivers’ standings, a remarkable feat for a sophomore driver.
However, in the weeks following Zandvoort, the competitive landscape within McLaren has shifted dramatically, with Norris regaining a clear performance edge over Piastri. This stark contrast has not gone unnoticed, even by competitors like Verstappen.
"I have no explanation for that to be honest. I find it very bizarre," Verstappen commented when asked about the McLaren situation by Motorsport.com. "I didn’t expect it to go like this, although at the end of the day it’s not really my problem."
When pressed during a Dutch media session with the observation that Piastri had not suddenly lost his driving ability, Verstappen concurred, "No, I don’t think so. But honestly, I also don’t know how this is possible." This candid admission highlights the perplexing nature of Piastri’s recent dip, particularly given his earlier season form, which included multiple podium finishes and a Sprint race victory.
Piastri’s initial surge after Zandvoort saw him consistently finishing ahead of Norris, leading to speculation about a potential shift in the team’s internal hierarchy. However, since the Singapore Grand Prix, Norris has consistently outperformed Piastri, securing several podium finishes and consolidating his position as McLaren’s lead driver. This reversal has seen Norris extend a significant points advantage over Piastri, who has struggled to match his teammate’s pace and consistency in recent races.
Contrasting Management Philosophies
The situation at McLaren also prompted a comparison of team management styles. Jos Verstappen, Max’s father and a former Formula 1 driver himself, recently suggested that Piastri – or his manager, Mark Webber – should "slam their fist on the table" during this challenging period. This comment implies a more assertive approach to team dynamics, contrasting with McLaren’s outwardly calm and collected demeanor.
Max Verstappen acknowledged this difference in philosophy. "No, but I think that has to do with how they operate as a team as well. That’s not how I operate. But that’s fine, everyone does their own thing. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I am a bit different in that regard."
The Red Bull camp is known for its robust and sometimes outspoken approach to internal and external challenges, often championed by team principal Christian Horner and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. This contrasts with McLaren team principal Andrea Stella’s more measured public stance. Verstappen elaborated on his personal reaction to such a scenario: "I don’t know what has happened or what hasn’t happened, so it’s difficult for me to judge. But I would probably have been a bit more annoyed, I think, when you’re that far ahead and suddenly that far behind." This statement underscores Verstappen’s competitive drive and his expectation of consistent performance, suggesting a more direct approach to addressing performance discrepancies within his own team.
Piastri’s Brazil Penalty and the Team’s Reaction
The challenges for Piastri intensified at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he received an unfortunate penalty that further hampered his race. The incident, involving Andrea Kimi Antonelli, resulted in a time penalty that drew criticism from across the paddock. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz notably labelled that specific penalty "unacceptable," highlighting a broader frustration among drivers regarding inconsistent stewarding decisions.
McLaren, while feeling that Antonelli was equally culpable for the incident, accepted the stewards’ decision post-race. Verstappen weighed in on this, suggesting that Red Bull might have handled the immediate aftermath differently, even if the final outcome remained unchanged.
"Yeah, I don’t know why they handled it like that," Verstappen said, referring to McLaren’s seemingly subdued reaction. "In the end, you can be angry about it, but the penalty will still stand anyway. You just have to live with it. If you have a problem with that, then you need to contact the stewards or the FIA and maybe you can talk about it for the future." This implies that while Red Bull would likely be more vocal in their initial dissent, they would ultimately accept the ruling and channel their efforts into future dialogue with the governing bodies, rather than prolonged public outcry. The penalty cost Piastri valuable points and further compounded his recent run of less competitive results.
Verstappen’s Perspective on Losing the Championship
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, where Verstappen aims for a potential fifth consecutive World Championship title, the prospect of losing the title after such a dominant era is naturally a topic of discussion. Having secured four consecutive drivers’ titles from 2021 to 2024, Verstappen has established himself as one of the sport’s most dominant figures, alongside legends like Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. However, the Dutchman maintains a pragmatic and grounded perspective on the potential end of his winning streak.
"No, I’ll still go on holiday! I’m pretty good at putting things into perspective and letting things go. I’m not going to cry about it," Verstappen affirmed. This statement reflects a mature understanding of the highs and lows of elite sports, indicating that while winning is his primary objective, the outcome does not define his personal well-being. It underscores a focus on the process and the challenge, rather than an overwhelming attachment to the outcome, even as he prepares for what promises to be a fiercely contested 2025 Formula 1 season.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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