Max Verstappen has forced himself back into the 2025 Formula 1 title picture seemingly out of nowhere.
The reigning champion’s hopes were written off ahead of the summer break, but since then, he has been in inspired form. Verstappen is proving why he can never be considered down and out of a drivers’ championship charge until it is mathematically impossible.
Red Bull’s new leadership has helped to turn the tide, bringing new upgrades and a change of attitude to the team. They’re laying the foundations for the 2026 F1 regulations, and building momentum now is a very good start to their charge.
Verstappen did something ‘really unusual’ in GT3 racing, as he competed in the Nurburgring Langstrecken Series during his week off from single-seaters. Charles Leclerc has rated Verstappen’s title chances, but still thinks the odds of a miraculous turnaround are low.
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Max Verstappen has benefitted from three key Red Bull changes to ignite his 2025 F1 title charge
Verstappen will win the 2025 F1 title, according to Giedo van der Garde, who anticipates that McLaren will make some mistakes before the end of the season. It’s the Woking-based outfit’s first time dealing with the intensity of being the true front-runner in well over a decade, and there may be some rust to shake off.
However, after his latest win in Baku, there were signs that Verstappen ‘doesn’t care’ about chasing McLaren and is focused on enjoying the remaining events this season. The upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, in particular, is not one of Red Bull’s stronger tracks.
Autosport now reports that changes to Red Bull’s approach to setup, Verstappen’s refined feedback, and the team’s new floor are three key factors for their resurgence. 17 races into dealing with the RB21, their driver now has a firm idea of how to get it to do what he wants.
Verstappen’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory was ‘unusual’, but only due to the lack of hurdles he faced throughout the weekend. He had expected more of a challenge in the pursuit of victory, which is a good sign for his fans.
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How Red Bull can find a way to keep Max Verstappen for the rest of his F1 career
Now coming to the end of his 11th consecutive Formula 1 season, Verstappen has made no secret of his intentions to explore other motorsport categories in the coming years.
His current Red Bull deal ends at the end of 2028, but it was signed nearly four years ago at the start of the 2022 season.
Rumours tying him to Mercedes over the summer were intense, but Red Bull’s on-track response has been so encouraging that it’s hard to see him wanting to leave any time soon.
The ‘only’ way Red Bull can keep Verstappen is by ensuring that they give him a winning car every year. Without that, competing becomes more of a chore.