What ‘everyone’ at Red Bull is now saying about Max Verstappen’s chances of winning the 2025 F1 title

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Max Verstappen hasn’t given up on winning a fifth consecutive Formula 1 world title just yet, and Red Bull staff have identified one upcoming race as one they ‘should’ win.

It remains to be seen whether Verstappen’s resurgence in the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season came at just the right time, or slightly too late.

The Red Bull star has been in fine form since the resumption of racing after the summer break, having already scored a podium in all six of the race weekends that have followed, compared to the five he recorded in the first half of the season.

Brazil is next up on the F1 calendar, and McLaren are aware of the threat Verstappen poses through his previously glittering performances at the Interlagos circuit.

However, staff at the Milton Keynes-based constructor have their eyes on another race weekend that they’re expecting to be a sure win for the Dutchman.

READ MORE: Red Bull engineer shares how the garage now feels about Max Verstappen’s F1 title charge

Red Bull staff are in agreement over the race Max Verstappen ‘should’ win to keep his 2025 F1 title hopes alive

Speaking on an episode of ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, journalist Nate Saunders revealed what ‘everyone’ at Red Bull are now saying about the 28-year-old’s chances of stealing the title away from the leading McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Once looking at a 104-point deficit after the first race back from the summer break, Verstappen’s purple patch has seen him move to within 36 points of Norris, who recently took back control of the F1 standings following his dominant win in Mexico.

Saunders revealed the current sentiment within the ranks of Red Bull, saying, “25 points. If he’s within that, that’s then within the margin of error, isn’t it?

“That’s one if one McLaren driver doesn’t finish, or if both McLaren drivers collide. If Max wins the race, he’s level or he’s ahead of them in the championship.

“So, he could come out of Brazil close to that, or he could come below that. And that’s where McLaren really starts to be under pressure because you do then start to, you know.

“From everyone I’ve spoken to at Red Bull, I think they’re looking at Brazil, if Max can have some more Brazil magic.

“Vegas seems to be, out of these four races, the one they’re like, we should and we have to win that one. I think the two that are in the desert that follow are probably more suited to McLaren.

“But if he comes through those two and he’s ahead of both those drivers, then yeah, they’re in real trouble.”

READ MORE: Max Verstappen now believes only one thing can stop him winning the 2025 F1 championship

Max Verstappen has nothing to lose in his quest to become a five-time F1 world champion

Heading into the final rounds of the season as the outside favourite, Verstappen is in a position unlike any other that he has previously been in during his attempts to secure a title in F1.

He has been circling behind his rivals ahead of him for a matter of months now, and the McLaren duo have been warned about how Verstappen will ‘intimidate’ them at the upcoming race weekend in Sao Paulo.

Whilst sealing the title is still very much on the cards for the Red Bull driver, he will need at least one point-less performance from both Norris and Piastri in order for him to snatch the championship away from them.

Verstappen has already been taking risks in order to maximise his points haul from each weekend and make sure he is still in the running for the title if it comes down to a showdown in Abu Dhabi.

It’s proving to be a fascinating final run into the final races of the year, and it remains to be seen which direction the championship will be heading once the chequered flag falls at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The only thing that seems to be certain is the fact that it will go down to the wire.