Max Verstappen must be worried after F1 expert declares Red Bull aren’t ‘anywhere near’ McLaren in key area

Follow us on Google Discover

Red Bull enjoyed a mixed start to their season as one car crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix while the other made the podium.

Max Verstappen reminded everyone why he has won the last four consecutive drivers’ championships by finishing second in changeable conditions (not that the reminder was required).

Red Bull may have the second-fastest car, but it’s hard to tell after one race at a rather unique track to the Formula 1 calendar.

Because the Australian Grand Prix is a street circuit, the upcoming race in Suzuka should offer a clearer picture of where they actually are.

Jos Verstappen was worried about Red Bull in Melbourne, and bet that they would be more than half a second behind McLaren in qualifying.

Thankfully they were not, but Verstappen has a massive Red Bull issue – he needs to figure out an oversteer problem which has plagued him for a while.

READ MORE: Ralf Schumacher suggests unlikely £1.2bn-valued F1 team could be an option for Max Verstappen if he leaves Red Bull

Max Verstappen and Red Bull after Marc Priestley’s not ‘anywhere near’ McLaren verdict

Verstappen fell nearly four tenths short of Lando Norris in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix but still managed third on the grid. The McLaren cars are just that quick.

Marc Priestley thinks that the Milton Keynes-based outfit weren’t anywhere near the papaya cars over a race distance. It might worry the Dutchman.

“Yesterday felt a little like a damage limitation to some extent, which is not what you’d expect to see for Red Bull and Max on the first day of the season,” he said.

“They did not have a car that was anywhere near capable of matching the McLaren in race conditions. In qualifying actually, although Max didn’t quite deliver the perfect lap on Saturday, there were signs that their car is very quick or can be very quick over a lap.”

Points mean prizes is a common saying in Formula 1. It means that Red Bull must find more pace on a Saturday if they want to compete for a championship at all in 2025.

If Priestley’s fears turn out to be true, then it could be a very long season for Verstappen, especially with the 2026 F1 regulations around the corner. He will need to make a big decision.

READ MORE: Liam Lawson shares what he’s realised about Max Verstappen after taking his Red Bull data home

Max Verstappen has refused to take part in one ‘nonsense’ thing in 2025

Verstappen has a lot in his life to manage now that he is set to become a father alongside his duties in Formula 1.

He’s bidding to become the second driver in the sport’s history to win five titles in a row this year, and he’s going to need to lock in to enjoy success.

As a result, Verstappen has told Red Bull he won’t film ‘nonsense’ TikTok videos for their social media channel.

It shows just how competitive he is, and eager to spend as much of his time dedicated to winning a fifth title as he possibly can.

It’s not the first time that he has refused a media commitment too, after pulling out of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series before.