Laurent Mekies took an unbroadcast dig at McLaren over Max Verstappen’s radio at the Qatar Grand Prix

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Red Bull seized the opportunity to take McLaren to a title decider by producing a clutch victory at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen got the jump on Lando Norris at the start, and waited for his team to produce the perfect strategy as his rivals faltered under pressure.

He now trails the Briton by just 12 points in the drivers’ championship, and knows that with a win, he just needs him to finish anywhere off the podium to secure a fifth straight crown.

For the first time since 2010, three drivers go into the final race of the season in contention to win the championship

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Red Bull are at their most dangerous when they have nothing to lose, and that’s now the situation they find themselves in.

Red Bull want Mercedes to do well ‘for the first time’ in Abu Dhabi, as it boosts their chances of completing an incredible comeback.

Verstappen has eliminated his only ‘weakness’ and learned from a road rage incident, which stripped him of points earlier in the campaign. In Abu Dhabi, being level-headed will be crucial.

READ MORE: Martin Brundle saw Max Verstappen suffer from a confidence-sapping issue during the Qatar Sprint

Laurent Mekies took a dig at McLaren ‘mistakes’ over Max Verstappen radio after Qatar win

Red Bull have decided Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar’s futures, and it looks as though Verstappen will have a new teammate in 2026.

If he had a little more back-up this year, he might have already sealed the title, but Yuki Tsunoda has really struggled with the RB21.

McLaren won’t use team orders in Abu Dhabi in a bid to seal a title double, which could present a small opportunity for Red Bull.

Over the last two weekends, they have made some critical mistakes, which have cost their drivers the chance to have the championship sealed already.

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies took a dig at their ‘mistakes’ over Verstappen’s radio after he won in Qatar, showing the team realises their opponents are under a lot of pressure.

“Well done Max, what to say? Never a foot wrong,” he said. “Magic race. Let the other guys do the mistakes. Well done mate.”

READ MORE: F1 fans have one message for McLaren after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri face strategy misery

Why Red Bull are in an ideal position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Red Bull have McLaren exactly where they want them. Routinely, they have made too many mistakes in 2025, and it’s why a 104-point championship lead has become just 12.

In Las Vegas and Qatar, Verstappen gained at least 12 points over Norris and probably has the most momentum.

In fact, Red Bull have the luxury of being able to prioritise and focus only on one car all weekend, while McLaren’s efforts must be split.

If their drivers don’t behave, they’ll have another headache to manage, which will make the title fight even more exciting for the fans.