Max Verstappen has suffered a difficult start to his 2025 campaign after a tough race in China and being unable to challenge McLaren in Melbourne.
Lando Norris’ victory at the season opener marked the first time that Verstappen has not led the Drivers’ Championship since the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, showcasing just how much Red Bull has dominated in the last three years.
Verstappen has admitted that his title defence will be difficult this season due to how much tougher to drive the RB21 is compared to its predecessors, plus McLaren has now followed through on its threats last season.
From the Japanese GP, Verstappen will have a new teammate in the form of Yuki Tsunoda, his sixth while at Red Bull, who he is hopeful will bring better feedback to the team after Liam Lawson’s disastrous two-race stint.
It is clear that Verstappen sees the 2025 as his toughest yet to defend his world title crown, and Dutch journalist Nelson Valkenburg has discussed what he has been saying to media that has caught their attention when speaking on The Race F1 podcast.
Dutch media ‘flabbergasted’ by Max Verstappen media comments
Verstappen usually holds two press conferences on F1 race weekends; one for regular media and another for his native Dutch language.
In the Dutch sessions he usually opens up more than he would in the English language sessions, however, the media in the former have noticed a big change in his demeanour and how he answers questions about Red Bull’s performance.
“He is extremely reserved. We’re all a bit flabbergasted, especially in front of a camera, the answers we’re getting. But it seems like he’s just decided ‘Ok, this is the season I’m having to deal with. I’m going to deal with it by keeping all my cards close to my chest and speaking within a very small circle within the team’,” said Valkenburg.
“It feels like we’re very focused. Even though the car isn’t actually a car you can win with, I think he was the top scorer in the China race rankings and he’s second in the championship. He’s driving at such a high level but he’s almost making a mockery of the car.”
Red Bull at risk of Max Verstappen activating release clause in contract
Red Bull’s form is roughly what was expected when they arrived at pre-season testing with a car that was third-best compared to Ferrari and McLaren.
Lawson’s long run pace was nowhere near Kimi Antonelli or Charles Leclerc and this translated in the opening races, while Verstappen also suffered badly from poor tyre wear.
Red Bull knows that it has until the mid-point of the season to improve, otherwise they risk Verstappen activating a clause in his contract that could see him leave at the end of 2025.
Verstappen can activate a performance-based clause if Red Bull is not in the top three of the Constructors’ Championship. The Dutchman could end up at Mercedes or Aston Martin in this case, given rumours are swirling that he is looking at potential alternatives.
Toto Wolff has also been openly courting Verstappen, having admitted in Drive to Survive that he no longer had to stick to a pact he made with Lewis Hamilton once he left the team.
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