Max Verstappen has competition for the World title, and Jos Verstappen is okay with that, he’d rather it happened on a “level” and “fair” playing field.

Nine races into the F1 2025 championship, the long-awaited front wing flexibility technical directive will finally be in play in Spain.

Jos Verstappen: I don’t think that’s fair

TD018 is aimed at tackling the issue of front wing flexibility, with the teams having to comply with stricter front wing static load tests.

Although the FIA made the decision during the off-season to introduce more stringent tests, they delayed it until round nine of the championship, the Spanish Grand Prix.

That raised eyebrows from the get-go amid concerns that it would create a two-part championship – before the flexi test and after.

Rivals have speculated and pointed the finger, but no one genuinely knows who will be affected the most, or even at all.

However, it’s safe to say Jos Verstappen feels his son has been wronged by the FIA’s decision to delay the tests.

More on F1’s TD018

👉 What you can really expect to see from the FIA’s new flexi-wing test

👉 Explained: Why a ‘vigilant’ FIA will enforce different front wing rules from Spanish GP

Max Verstappen currently sits third in the Drivers’ Championship, 25 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri in a season in which McLaren have won six Grands Prix to Verstappen and Red Bull’s two.

“For the fans and for Formula 1, this is an ideal scenario,” Jos Verstappen told De Telegraaf of the title fight. “They want to have an exciting season and not someone who wins twenty races, so it becomes monotonous.

“But I do think there should be a level playing field.

“Like with those flexible front wings, which will only be banned in Spain. Then certain teams have benefited from that for too long. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Contrary to Verstappen’s opinion, McLaren have time and again brushed it aside and insist the revised technical directive is “no headache at all” for the championship leaders.

However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is convinced it will have “some effect”. He just cannot say how big, or even who will be the hardest hit.

“What we don’t know is how it will affect others,” Horner told the media, including PlanetF1.com. “It’s a significant change, and so of course there’ll be some effect.

“Now, of course, teams have anticipated that, so it may well be neutral or it may have some effect on degradation… it certainly doesn’t make life easier.”

The Briton is refusing to rule out Max Verstappen fighting back to retain the World title.

“Going back to Barcelona I hope that we can replicate closer to what we did in Imola,” he said. “We arrive there 25 points [adrift] – we only gave away three points to the championship leader, so we’re still within a race win with, what, 16 races still to go?

“There’s an enormous amount of racing, plus the Sprint races, etc., so there’s a long, long way to go in this championship.”

The Drivers’ title is still on the cards for Red Bull but they have a stiff challenge regain the Constructors’ as they already trail McLaren by 179 points.

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