While many people will be questioning whether McLaren or Ferrari are going to have the fastest car on the grid in 2025, no Formula 1 fan will be writing Max Verstappen off despite Red Bull’s struggles at the end of last season.
Max Verstappen begins the 2025 campaign with four consecutive world championships under his belt.
Red Bull had the fastest car at the start of last year and after securing seven victories in the first 10 races, Verstappen managed the rest of the campaign brilliantly to avoid the likes of Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc even putting him under serious pressure.
However, with no Adrian Newey at Red Bull to help guide the development of their 2025 car, it’s going to be fascinating to see how competitive Verstappen and new teammate Liam Lawson are this year.
However, Verstappen’s success is always tinged with a hint of controversy.
The finale of the 2021 F1 season will forever go down as one of the sport’s most dramatic laps as he pipped Lewis Hamilton to the post in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen was criticised for his racing against Norris in Mexico City last year, resulting in the stewards handing him two penalties that day.
The 27-year-old has a reputation for being one of the toughest racers on the track and will do anything he can to win.
It’s a mindset that many former champions have had, with Michael Schumacher nearly driving former teammate Rubens Barrichello off the road at one point just to defend his position.
However, in an interview with F1 Maximaal, former F1 driver and current Red Bull ambassador David Coulthard shared his experience with the Dutchman.
Privately, he’s very different to the man seen on track.
David Coulthard shares how Max Verstappen acts ‘privately’ compared to his F1 persona
Coulthard regularly works with Verstappen not just in the F1 paddock as a pundit but also during events for his former team.
Talking about his conduct away from the track, he said: “I know Max privately, I think he is a professional.
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“He is a very straightforward person, privately. Of course that does not mean that he automatically has the right to always be the character that he is, outspoken, very direct.”
Coulthard was then asked about Verstappen’s feud with George Russell and continued: “Some people will love him for that, others will not, in the same way, that Lewis’ behaviour can also be divisive, his behaviour also has a divisive effect.
“Because when you win, you fall into those two camps. Ultimately, these guys just have to be themselves. They will change as life goes on.”
Max Verstappen could be more heavily punished in 2025 after FIA rule changes
Verstappen famously stopped talking during FIA press conferences during the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix after being punished for swearing when answering a question about his car’s performance earlier in the weekend.
Instead, he conducted his own media session away from the FIA’s media room and as a result of his misconduct, was ordered to carry out community service in Rwanda ahead of the sport’s prize-giving gala.
However, a change to the FIA’s sporting regulations means he could be even more harshly punished this year for a similar infraction.
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Any violation that is deemed to cause ‘moral injury or loss to the FIA’ as a Formula 1 driver now carries increased financial penalties and the potential of a suspension.
For example, any driver who commits three offences will be fined £101,000 (€120,000), be given a one-month suspension and docked championship points.
It’s a serious deterrent and considering how Verstappen and many of his fellow drivers disagreed with his initial punishment, feels like another battleground the GDPA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association) and the FIA will fight over in 2025.
