Verstappen urged to ‘let’ Norris and Piastri do one thing to stop Red Bull throwing his title bid ‘in the trash’

Max Verstappen will start Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix facing his biggest F1 drivers’ championship deficit in 1,120 days, with Oscar Piastri now 32 points ahead.

The Dutchman has not trailed any rival by such a large deficit since Charles Leclerc boasted a 46-point lead after Verstappen retired in the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. But he bounced back from the fuel leak to win the following race at Imola and went on to lift that year’s title.

Verstappen has even won each of the last three editions of the Emilia Romagna GP ahead of the 2025 F1 season rolling into Imola this weekend. He fended off a final lap attack by Lando Norris of McLaren by 0.725 seconds to give Red Bull the win in Ferrari’s backyard a year ago.

Red Bull may need Verstappen to step up again if they are to win at Imola this year, with the team 141 points behind McLaren in the F1 constructors’ standings. Also, Piastri can become McLaren’s first driver to win in four straight Grands Prix since Ayrton Senna in 1991 at Imola.

Max Verstappen urged to ‘let’ Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri make the 2025 F1 title race ‘difficult’ for McLaren

The Emilia Romagna GP might even be vital for deciding how much longer Red Bull will keep developing the RB21 before canning Verstappen’s title bid and turning their eye to the 2026 F1 regulations. It is a decision that Tom Coronel feels may come soon after the race at Imola.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Coronel thinks Red Bull will pull the plug on the 2025 F1 season if the upgrades they take to the Emilia Romagna and Spanish Grands Prix do not move their car closer to McLaren’s. But Verstappen can also force Red Bull to continue developing if he lets Norris and Piastri battle.

“This is step one, but Barcelona should be the second step,” Coronel told RacingNews365. “If [the RB21] is not on par there and they can play together a bit, then you can indeed throw the world championship in the trash.

“But there is nothing more changeable than Formula 1. We have seen it ourselves with Max, also in previous years, how he somehow manages to storm forward, somehow manages to score points and manages to be smart and consistent.

“And let those two McLarens make life difficult for each other in who can become world champion. Who knows, Max might still be able to secretly participate a little bit. It could easily be that they’ll be eliminated and then he’ll have made up the entire points deficit.”

Max Verstappen will get Red Bull’s radical sidepod upgrade at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Most teams will unveil upgrades at Imola this weekend as the Emilia Romagna GP is the first round of the 2025 season in Europe. Verstappen is one driver set to benefit, too, as Red Bull will run a radical sidepod upgrade at Imola as they accept it will be key to catching McLaren.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

The four-time champion will hope the upgrade works immediately, as well, after Verstappen finished the Miami Grand Prix 39.956 seconds behind Piastri. But, as Coronel hints, McLaren expect Piastri and Norris will crash at some stage, which may swing the title race wide open.

Their upgrades at Imola could also be key for the future that team principal Christian Horner has in Milton Keynes. It is said that Red Bull’s upgrades at Imola will be decisive for Horner’s future, as their lack of fight for the 2025 F1 teams’ title is losing Chaleo Yoovidhya’s backing.