Max Verstappen warned he faces ‘serious headache’ if Red Bull struggle with one thing at the Spanish Grand Prix

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has won the Spanish Grand Prix in each of his past three visits, and he has finished on the podium in Barcelona every year since 2018.

Montmelo also staged his triumphant debut for the Milton Keynes team, as Verstappen won the 2016 Spanish GP after replacing Daniil Kvyat at Red Bull. He had further wins at the track in 2022, ‘23 and ‘24 as well as third place in 2018 and ‘19 plus second place in 2020 and ‘21.

The only time that Verstappen has failed to finish on the podium at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as a Red Bull driver came in 2017 due to suspension damage after a collision with Kimi Raikkonen. He also achieved 11th with Toro Rosso on the Dutchman’s first visit in 2015.

Verstappen will hope to at least maintain his podium streak in Barcelona this weekend, with the 27-year-old now 25 points behind McLaren star Oscar Piastri in the F1 drivers’ standings. Lando Norris even leads the Red Bull racer by 22 points after his win in Monaco last Sunday.

Max Verstappen will face a ‘serious headache’ in the 2025 F1 title fight if Red Bull lack race pace in Spain

What could help Verstappen this Sunday is that Red Bull and Ferrari think the FIA’s flexi-front wing clampdown will hurt McLaren the most. The FIA is enforcing stricter static load tests on front wings from this week, with the amount of vertical deflection allowed reduced by 5mm.

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But Tom Coronel fears Verstappen will face a ‘serious headache’ to defend the drivers’ title if Red Bull lack race pace in the Spanish GP. The Dutchman will enjoy a good chance to deny Piastri and Norris if Verstappen is quick in Barcelona, but anything else could spell bad news.

“If Max can really compete for P1 here,” Coronel told RacingNews365, “they can have a bad pit stop, a difference in strategy or he can get in the way for a moment, you name it.

“But if the speed is there, and I’m talking about the speed in the race, then he’ll be in contention for the world championship this year. But if it doesn’t happen here, then he’s going to have a serious headache for the rest of the year.”

McLaren’s cooling will be an advantage over Red Bull in Barcelona, even with the FIA’s flexi-wing clampdown

Verstappen beat Norris to win the 2024 Spanish GP after capitalising on the McLaren racer’s slower launch from pole position. The Red Bull star also overtook Mercedes’ George Russell more easily on Lap 3 of 66 than Norris who took until L35 after he jumped them at the start.

Yet McLaren’s aggressive cooling set-up will be an advantage in Spain in 2025, as Norris and Piastri can stay close to a car in front without their MCL39 overheating. The forecast for the 2025 Spanish GP is for temperatures of 19°-32° through Sunday, which may prove decisive.

It also remains to be seen what impact the FIA’s flexi-wing clampdown truly has on McLaren for Sunday’s race. Mercedes chief Toto Wolff thinks the FIA’s flexi-wing clampdown will help Ferrari, but other paddock figures have played down the likely effect of the new regulations.