Red Bull are wrong about Max Verstappen’s 2025 title chances as ‘critical’ truth about McLaren emerges

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Despite Red Bull currently experiencing their lowest points total after 12 races since 2015, key figures within the team are still optimistic about Max Verstappen’s chances in the drivers’ championship.

Red Bull have won just two races this season, thanks to Max Verstappen, with the power shift at the top of the F1 standings turning to McLaren, who have dominated the top step of the podium.

So far, the season has been one to forget for the Austrian constructor, who took the decision to relieve Christian Horner from his team principal role last week after 20 years in charge as he faced a ‘politically impossible’ scenario heading into 2026.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are rivals McLaren, whose biggest worry at the moment is keeping both cars on track as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri battle between themselves for the championship.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

McLaren have a ‘critical strength’ up their sleeve to ensure F1 rivals can’t catch up before the end of the season

The Race has identified McLaren’s superior rear tyre management as being the ‘critical strength’ which ensures their competitors won’t be able to catch up by the time the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix rolls around.

Having the best-in-class control over their rear tyres gives them a huge advantage in race trim. With the other teams aware of this, their focus turns to trying to beat the McLaren’s time over a single lap in hopes of starting Grands Prix higher up the field with better track position.

Verstappen’s pole at the British Grand Prix was a key moment in the Milton Keynes-based team’s season, highlighting the fact that the four-time world champion is still able to compete with the high-flying McLarens despite the Dutchman experiencing handling issues in free practice.

The current championship leaders aren’t looking to add too many more upgrades to the MCL39, with their focus being primarily on next year’s new regulations.

However, even if Red Bull and the rest of McLaren’s F1 rivals add some well-needed upgrades to their 2025 challengers, the Woking-based outfit are still tipped to have the fastest car in terms of race pace until the end of the season.

READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Helmut Marko doesn’t believe the ‘fight for the world championship is over’

It’s going to be an uphill battle in the remaining 12 races for Red Bull, but Helmut Marko believes the championship is still yet to be decided.

In his column for Speedweek, the special advisor to Red Bull wrote, “We still have 12 Grands Prix and four sprints ahead of us, which equates to 300 World Championship points from the GPs and 32 from the sprint races.

“Against this backdrop, and also due to further improvements for Belgium, which should bring us closer to McLaren, we certainly don’t see the fight for the world championship as over.”

Rumours have been swirling about Verstappen’s future at Red Bull amid interest from Mercedes, so it will be interesting to see if the Dutchman’s tune changes following a successful implementation of the upgrades ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

The current championship leaders aren’t looking to add too many more upgrades to the MCL39, with their focus being primarily on next year’s new regulations.