Red Bull Reveal Dual Concerns Over Verstappen’s F1 Title Ambitions
Red Bull’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko, has expressed two major reasons why he believes Max Verstappen may struggle to claim his fifth consecutive Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship this season — even after the Dutch star’s impressive late-season surge.
After a challenging first half of the year, Verstappen has managed to drag himself back into the championship fight against the formidable McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who have dominated much of the 2025 campaign. Earlier in the season, Verstappen’s hopes looked slim when he trailed Piastri by a massive 104 points. However, a string of strong results — including two wins and a second-place finish in the last three rounds — has reignited his title bid.
The gap has now been reduced to 63 points with only six races left on the calendar, three of which are sprint weekends that offer extra points. That leaves Verstappen with an outside chance of catching up, though Marko admits it remains a “tall order” for the four-time world champion.
A recent upgrade to the RB21’s floor design has been crucial in restoring Red Bull’s pace. The car had struggled to match the McLaren MCL39 earlier in the season, but the latest improvements have brought the Milton Keynes outfit back into contention. Verstappen’s consistency has also helped Red Bull regain some of its lost confidence.
Still, according to Marko, Red Bull’s chances depend heavily on two conditions — both of which fall partly outside their direct control. Speaking to the Kleine Zeitung, the 82-year-old Austrian explained that the team would need “more than just their own performance” to make the championship dream a reality.
> “I don’t think we can do it on our own,” Marko admitted. “If the McLaren drivers continue to disagree and there are further incidents, it’s not impossible.”
Marko was referring to the recent tension within McLaren’s camp following the Singapore Grand Prix, where Norris and Piastri made contact on the opening lap. The clash created friction between the two drivers and disrupted what could have been an easy weekend for the team. The episode also momentarily derailed McLaren’s bid to wrap up the Constructors’ Championship.
Marko believes that if such internal disputes continue, Red Bull could capitalize. McLaren’s dominance this season has largely been built on teamwork and consistency, but personal rivalry between their young stars could play into Red Bull’s hands. “If the McLaren drivers keep getting in each other’s way, there’s a chance we can take advantage,” he suggested.
The second factor, Marko emphasized, is Red Bull’s own car performance. Even if McLaren face internal chaos, Verstappen can only mount a serious challenge if the RB21 continues performing at its current level.
> “But then we need our car to continue to be in such top condition,” Marko added. “As long as it’s mathematically possible, we’ll definitely fight.”
This means maintaining reliability, extracting maximum pace from every upgrade, and ensuring that team strategy remains flawless through the final stretch of the season. With just six races left — and the high-pressure sprint weekends still to come — every mistake could prove costly.
Marko’s comments highlight how finely balanced the championship battle has become. Red Bull, who dominated Formula 1 from 2021 through 2024, now find themselves in the rare position of being the hunters rather than the hunted. The team’s resurgence in recent races has been encouraging, but it might not be enough without help from external circumstances.
While Verstappen’s fighting spirit remains undiminished, Marko’s pragmatic view reflects the reality of modern F1 — where technical developments, team harmony, and race strategy all play equal roles in success. McLaren’s internal politics could open a window of opportunity, but Red Bull must be ready to seize it by maintaining peak performance through to the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In short, the Austrian veteran believes that Verstappen’s quest for a fifth crown depends on a delicate combination: McLaren’s instability and Red Bull’s consistency. If either falters, the title could slip beyond reach. Yet for all his caution, Marko insists that Red Bull will not give up while there’s still a mathematical chance.
“We’ll fight until the very end,” he said. “That’s what champions do.”
As the championship enters its closing stages, one thing is certain — Max Verstappen and Red Bull are not out of the picture yet. But their hopes now rest on both the strength of their own machinery and the missteps of their fiercest rivals.
