Max Verstappen of Red Bull has downplayed the competitiveness of his 2025 title race against McLaren, despite trailing Oscar Piastri by 25 points after seven races. With both Piastri and his teammate Lando Norris securing two wins each, Verstappen remains unconvinced that the season is shaping up to be a genuine championship battle.
Verstappen Reflects on Red Bull’s Struggles
Verstappen admitted that although he’s trying his best, the season hasn’t been enjoyable. I just try to do my best and have a little fun out there,” he said. “Knowing that we will be moving so quickly makes me even more enthusiastic. The most thrilling part is that. I usually do my hardest, but so far this year has had both genuine pros and, of course, some drawbacks. The four-time world champion pointed to Red Bull's performance inconsistency, particularly on circuits that require handling bumps, kerbs, and slow-speed turns—areas where McLaren appears to be stronger.
Red Bull’s Strengths and Weaknesses Revealed
Red Bull’s RB20 has shown solid performance on medium- and high-speed tracks like Barcelona, but Verstappen noted that on street circuits and slow corners, they fall behind. It is not fun when we are much behind the pace in certain events, he added.
A Straightforward Approach from Verstappen
Despite the struggles, Verstappen emphasized that his focus remains on maximizing each race weekend without placing heavy emotional expectations on the championship outcome. It’s not that I don’t believe. Every weekend, I just show up to the track and give it my all. I don’t have to have faith in it. In full or not. I am aware that I always give it my all when I go out.
He continued:
“I’ll place it at P5 if that’s with a car that can do it. I will prevail if it has the capacity to do so. I have a lot of free time outside of that because, to be honest, I just take a really straightforward approach that doesn’t need a lot of energy.”
Piastri: Verstappen Is Still a Threat
Despite Verstappen’s self-assessment, Oscar Piastri insisted the Dutch driver can’t be written off. I don’t think he can be counted out,” said the McLaren driver. “The gap is not very large at the moment, and they’ve genuinely been competitive at a decent number of circuits now. Naturally, there have been weekends where we’ve outperformed, but they’ve been improving their vehicle and finding greater performance.
McLaren’s Dominance in 2025 Season
McLaren has won six of the eight races this season and now enjoys a commanding 172-point lead in the constructors' championship. With Piastri and Norris consistently at the front, McLaren's rise has been the major storyline of the season so far.
New Front Wing Rules Introduced at Spanish Grand Prix
The Spanish Grand Prix marks the implementation of a new technical regulation intended to curb front wing flexing. The FIA will now enforce stricter testing to ensure that front wings remain more rigid under load. These changes target aerodynamic tricks that some teams use to gain cornering performance while reducing drag on straights—methods that involve advanced carbon-fibre construction.
Will the Rule Change Impact McLaren
Red Bull had hoped the regulation might affect McLaren’s performance, but Verstappen wasn’t optimistic. More needs to occur for our side to succeed well. The world won’t alter, but everyone will be somewhat affected—some more than others. It will most likely slightly alter the car’s balance. Not too much for us. He doesn’t anticipate large shifts in lap time between teams due to this update.
McLaren Drivers Unbothered by New Rule
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri appeared unfazed by the change. No, not at all,” Norris said. “There are a few little adjustments here and there, but nothing that will alter the way we must go. Piastri added: I’ve not run the front wing, but Lando’s already run the front wing before this year, so we’re confident. Our magic bullet isn’t that. Although it’s not our primary strength, we don’t have a magic bullet.
Hamilton Criticizes the New Wing Regulations
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was critical of the FIA’s decision, saying it removes a valuable solution to the aerodynamic challenges of the current cars. It greatly improved the driving experience of this generation of cars. It’s definitely headed in the wrong direction,” he said. Hamilton argued that the flexi-wing helped compensate for excessive front grip at high speeds and insufficient grip in slower corners—an issue affecting most of the grid.
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