F1 | Championship on the line: Does Red Bull still believe in Max Verstappen’s comeback?. Helmut Marko discusses Max Verstappen’s chances of securing a fifth consecutive F1 title.

The 2025 F1 season is approaching its final stages, but the drivers’ championship is still undecided. Can Max Verstappen secure his fifth consecutive title? Helmut Marko of Red Bull shared his perspective on the Dutch driver’s chances.

Thanks to strong results in the second half of the season, Max Verstappen has managed to reopen the fight for the championship. After the Mexican GP, the standings show Lando Norris in first place, leading Oscar Piastri by just one point, while Verstappen trails by 36 points. With four races remaining, plus two Sprint events, a total of 116 points are still up for grabs. In a recent interview, Helmut Marko discussed Max Verstappen’s real chances of bringing the title back to Red Bull.

Max Verstappen’s championship fight

In an exclusive interview with Sport.de, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko spoke about Max Verstappen’s chances of winning the drivers’ championship despite being 36 points behind Lando Norris. He explained, “Realistically, the chances are very low. To clearly establish the strategy at Red Bull, everything must be perfect. This means extracting the maximum from the car in every race so Max can attack. There are four races left, but 116 points are still available.”

Helmut Marko added, “I believe Brazil will be crucial. We need to finish ahead of both McLarens there to keep our hopes alive.” He concluded, “We really want to leave nothing to chance. Of course, 36 points is a significant gap, but Max and the entire team are motivated and strong, and with our focus, I think he still has a small advantage.”

Past experience also favors Red Bull. Marko referenced previous championships decided in the final races: “We believe. We have the will and a small chance. In 2010 we succeeded in the last race, also in 2012, and in 2021 Verstappen became world champion on the final lap.”