Max Verstappen isn’t giving up. The 2025 F1 season has completed its 10th round in Canada, which means there are still 14 Grands Prix to go, including 4 Sprint Weekends: Belgium, USA, Brazil, and Qatar. The talent from Hasselt is convinced that the Drivers’ Championship is still wide open. He therefore warns the Woking-based team of his goal: to be crowned champion once again.
Max looking to exploit McLaren’s “weak points”
Many believe that the RB21 is actually a step behind Ferrari and Mercedes, and that only Max Verstappen is capable of optimising its performance to reach the top. Just look at the performances of Liam Lawson first, and then Yuki Tsunoda. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between. The fact remains that in Max’s hands, the Austrian car can win and fight for victory.
Red Bull hasn’t built a dominant car. However, the Milton Keynes team excels at reading race weekends and always manages to maximise the car’s performance. Fridays often seem like a disaster, only for the team to make a significant competitive leap by Saturday. “We need a top-level RB21 to fight at the front,” was Max’s verdict after Montreal.
First of all, Max Verstappen wants to take advantage of potential issues between the two McLaren drivers. He also knows that McLaren failed to bring the version of the car they had planned for Montreal. The flexibility of the MCL39 remains its strongest asset, but in the wake of directive TD018 on flexible wings, it may become less impactful. Let’s be clear: the British car remains the one to beat, but it may no longer enjoy such a massive advantage on certain track types.
Max’s strong motivation
Max is pushing the team to aim higher. Although the 2026 season carries major importance for his future, the Dutch star believes the battle can stay alive if Red Bull does its part. Oscar Piastri is proving to be a very tough opponent — a driver showing great maturity, “settling” for results when the risk is too high. Canada was a clear example.
Oscar didn’t overreach on the circuit named after Gilles Villeneuve. And even though fourth place wasn’t a thrilling result, bringing home those points and finishing ahead of his teammate was the target. Max gained 8 points on him, true. But in a weekend where car number 81 lacked the pace to do more, it’s a result the Australian will gladly accept.
Max Verstappen, for his part, wants to make the most of such situations. He’s convinced McLaren is very strong, but definitely not unbeatable. He’s challenging the reigning champions, while also sending a clear message to his team: “Overall, we need more performance to be quick everywhere.” We know that Horner’s team is pushing hard, preparing upgrades that will soon be ready.
A defensive race for second place
Evolving the RB21 for the upcoming rounds — this is what will happen shortly, as the Austrian team wants to give Verstappen a car capable of fighting. In Canada, the opportunity to secure what would have been a third win of the season was within reach. Russell wasn’t that far ahead, but the RB21 never looked like it could really threaten the Briton.
On the contrary, Max was more focused on his mirrors. Tyre degradation during the first two stints was quite high. That’s also why it turned into more of a defensive race. The car had the potential to push harder, but heavy tyre management prevented a different outcome from what we saw. Keeping Kimi behind during the third stint was a challenge.
The Dutchman applauded the team’s strategic decisions. These were “aggressive” stints, but necessarily shorter due to excessive tyre wear. In the final part of the race, the lighter fuel load gave a big helping hand. It was a tough race, which Red Bull managed very well. “I never really felt I had second place in my hands,” said Max — a statement that speaks volumes.
Still options to defend the title
And this is exactly where the former world champion team wants to restart from. More performance is needed to challenge McLaren for the Drivers’ Championship. Verstappen made it clear: “I want a more competitive car to win more consistently.” The team is trying to meet his demands, with updates to the car expected between June and July.
At the end of a regulatory cycle, even small details make a difference. Mercedes may have made a significant step forward in vehicle dynamics, as the rear push-rod updates — reintroduced in Canada after two races off for further analysis following their debut in Imola — now appear to be working as intended. That hadn’t been the case before, precisely because refining an upgrade remains key.
Challenging McLaren’s dominance remains difficult, but Red Bull has no intention of giving up in this 2025 championship. They know they can rely on the most talented driver in F1 by far, but the upcoming targeted upgrades will have to hit the mark. Even though Verstappen feels “alone” in this fight against the McLaren duo, he firmly believes there are still several options left to defend his title.
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