Max Verstappen’s pursuit of a remarkable fifth consecutive world championship is not going well as he trails Oscar Piastri by 49 points.
He has struggled for consistency with Red Bull this year and hasn’t had a car capable of winning at every race. In fact, he performed miracles to win the Japanese Grand Prix and has flattered the performance of his car, judging by what his teammates have produced.
Verstappen’s hopes of winning the drivers’ championship are nearly in tatters already, and we’re barely a third of the way through the season. McLaren are simply too strong, their development is good, and they have two capable drivers at their disposal in every race. The Dutchman needs a miracle.
Red Bull are desperate to bring a ‘new update’ in a bid to fix their tyre issues, which have plagued them at stages this season. They don’t appear to treat their tyres too well and it’s costing them later as races progress.
Verstappen realised the title battle is over after the Spanish Grand Prix, where he drew criticism for an aggressive move toward Mercedes rival George Russell. He bumped into the side of him, showing frustration after being asked to hand a position back to him.
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Max Verstappen may have created an F1 problem that could take decades to fix
Verstappen made a mistake in his Russell battle and seemed to know that he was in the wrong almost immediately. There was radio silence for a while between him and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
Toto Wolff made a ‘telling’ Verstappen comment and refused to criticise his rival too much after the race. Perhaps it leans to him wanting to protect their relationship for the future?
Ex-Renault driver Jolyon Palmer believes that the reigning champion is setting a bad example for future generations, which could cause chaos in the future.
“I just don’t see there’s any justification [for hitting Russell]. He is a four-time world champion. He is the best driver in the field, I still believe. People are looking up to him as idols.
“How many people wear a Senna helmet? Or they wear a Schumacher helmet coming through the ranks? And you’re looking at karters, you’re looking at young drivers and thinking.
“Is it actually OK to be a bit more Max Verstappen and to maybe deliberately drive into someone, effectively? I just don’t think, in a sport, there’s justification.”
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When will Red Bull ‘shift entirely’ to developing Max Verstappen’s 2026 F1 car?
With the 2026 F1 regulations fast approaching, Red Bull need to decide whether to place their resources in an unlikely title charge this year or focus on the future.
Red Bull will ‘shift entirely’ to their 2026 F1 car when they realise that the 27-year-old can no longer compete for the title.
With the pressure ramping up and a car that isn’t capable of fighting for victories, dangling near an automatic one-race ban could be a tricky situation.
The stewards handed Verstappen three penalty points, taking him 11 for the calendar year after his incident with Russell. One more point and he will be excluded from a race, all but ruining his chances of a fifth crown in 2025.
