Max Verstappen has reduced his points deficit by 35 over the last two races, yet Red Bull remains measured about the Dutchman’s chances of securing a fifth consecutive championship. As the season progresses, questions arise over Verstappen’s ability to reclaim dominance amid strong competition, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty around his Max Verstappen title chances.
Current Standing: Can Verstappen Close the Gap on McLaren?
This year, Verstappen has matched last season’s eight-race winless streak, but unlike 2024, he entered that stretch without a comfortable lead. Instead, he found himself in third place, trailing the pack closely. McLaren has been dominant, achieving 13 race victories including seven one-two finishes, while Verstappen has struggled to reach the podium consistently.
Following the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen was 104 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, hampered by an underperforming and unbalanced RB21 car. However, consecutive wins in Monza and Baku have narrowed the gap to 69 points, offering a renewed, if cautious, sense of optimism from Red Bull.
Lando Norris, McLaren’s driver who finished seventh in Baku with teammate Piastri crashing out early, acknowledged Red Bull’s improving form. Speaking to Sky F1, Norris said,
“People have caught up. Red Bull brought upgrades last weekend [in Italy], so they are clearly doing well, and their race pace is strong. But they still won plenty of races this year. It’s not a surprise. They’ve improved in some areas. They’re a winning team for the last however many years. We knew they could be a threat.”
Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, described Verstappen as a very serious contender, recognizing that the championship battle remains intensely competitive.
Insights and Reflections Following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
The recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix provided several talking points, from standout performances to critical errors. Matters like Oscar Piastri’s struggles and Lando Norris’ challenges formed part of the broader narrative, but Red Bull’s focus remains undeterred.
Red Bull team principal Mekies emphasized a pragmatic approach after the race, stressing the importance of focusing on immediate objectives rather than broader championship calculations. He explained,
“I tell you how we look at it, we really take it race by race so we don’t look at the championship positions. We don’t even look at it from a constructor’s perspective. Yes, it’s nice to look at the battle for second place on the constructors, but we take it step by step, in terms of our understanding of the car, in terms of lap time from the car. We got some good answers in Monza, of course. We got some good answers today. We are equally conscious that they are two very, very specific tracks.”
Mekies stressed that upcoming events demand a different strategy:
“So the way we look at next race is not by looking at the gap to whoever, but Singapore is going to be a different challenge. How we tackle it? How did what we learned apply to that? How much of that we think can be tested there, and how much risk you want to take? And at the moment, we try to have a high-risk approach, to try to learn as much as we can at the end of the season, and that prevail on championship discussions or whatever.”
Verstappen’s Perspective on the Season and Upcoming Challenges
Max Verstappen agrees with the team’s cautious and stepwise philosophy regarding championship aspirations. Speaking openly after recent races, he stated,
“I mean, I don’t rely on hope. But it’s seven rounds left. 69 points is a lot. So I personally don’t think about it. I just go race by race, what I have been doing basically the whole season – just trying to do the best we can, try to score the most points that we can. And then after Abu Dhabi, we’ll know.”
Despite winning back-to-back races, Verstappen remains realistic about his prospects ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, a venue where he has never won or started from pole. Discussing the unique challenges of Marina Bay, he remarked,
“Well, I have never won [at Marina Bay]. Red Bull has won, right? We’ll see. It’s completely different. High downforce. A lot of deg on the tyres, so we’ll see what happens. I really don’t know at the moment.”
Looking ahead, the focus for Verstappen, Red Bull, and their competitors continues to be the next race and the collective season finale in Abu Dhabi, which remains the ultimate indicator of who will take the World Championship.
The Road Ahead: Implications for the Championship Battle
While Verstappen’s recent form provides some encouragement, Red Bull’s leadership and driver both maintain a careful and realistic outlook on the season’s final stretch. The tight points gap ensures that every race carries heightened significance, with performance, strategy, and adaptability likely to determine the outcome.
Verstappen’s consistent ability to perform under pressure, combined with Red Bull’s ongoing car development, could still influence the championship dynamics, especially as circuits like Singapore present fresh challenges. How the team applies lessons learned from recent successes and setbacks will be critical in shaping Max Verstappen title chances as the calendar moves toward its climax in December.
