Max Verstappen changes tack on future team mate – Max Verstapppen is back in the hunt for his fifth consecutive Formula One drivers’ championship. The weather is set to favour the world champion in Brazil as a chaotic weekend of rain is once again forecast.
Last year saw the world champion start from 17th on the grid in Sao Paulo only to charge his way through the field to take the win, almost twenty seconds ahead of his nearest rival.
To claw back 36 points over the final four race weekends of the year is a big ask, but given his situation after his home Grand Prix in Zandvoort which saw him 104 points behind championship leader, Oscar Piastri, its game on for the Dutch driver.
Mindset sea change for Max
Red Bull unlike their rivals have continued to develop their RB21 and say there are more upgrades coming in the pipeline. With 2026 being such an uncertain prospect, the Milton Keynes based team have decided to invest what it takes to get there star driver over the line and deal with the consequences on the morrow.
Despite wins in Mona and Baku, Verstappen remained very much of the mindset, ‘we’ll take each weekend as it comes’ until a big momentum shift in Austin which saw the Red Bull driver win both the Sprint and there Grand Prix on Sunday. Instantly there was a change in the mood music from the world champion who when asked about title aspirations replied: “Yeah for sure, the chance is there.”
“We just need to try and deliver these weekends until the end. We will try whatever we can. It’s exciting and I’m very excited until the end,” said the four times champion in his post race interview. F1 writer Matt Majendie told the Inside Track podcast that Verstappen’s new found self belief remained in Mexico despite him only claiming third place behind Charles Leclerc and winner Lando Norris.
“He’s got amazing self-belief as well. I spoke to him in Mexico and [I] asked him what’s the one thing that could stop you winning the title? And he just said: ‘Bad luck’, which I think sort of sums up, he didn’t mention the McLaren drivers. I thought that was sort of him in a nutshell.”
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No distraction from Verdstappen’s battle royal
Unlike in 2023 when Sergio Perez was winning races and regularly challenging for podiums and taking points from rival teams and drivers, Max has had to do it the hard way this season often fighting both McLaren’s and the Ferrari’s along with George Russell in his Mercedes.
Yuki Tsunoda has scored just 25 points since being promoted to the Red bull team eighteen race weekends ago and the lack of the second Red Bull scoring decent points has handed Verstappen’s rivals for the title an advantage.
Red Bull had declared they would be making an announcement on their driver line up after the Mexican Grand Prix, however that has now been delayed since Verstappen is now back in the race for a championship. The team do not want the inevitable distraction of having to answer repeated questions over the reasoning for their decisions and wold rather focus the media’s attention on the climax to the drivers’ championship.
Verstappen eyes up more competitive team mate
It is widely believed with the departure of Honda to Aston Martin that Japanese driver, Yuki Tsunoda’s five year F1 tenure will come to an end. The Silverstone based team have recently announced that Zak Crawford will become their reserve driver which pretty much ends Yuki’s hopes for a role within the team.
Isack Hadjar will be promoted alongside Verstappen and the promising youngster Arvid Lindblad should receive the call to join Liam Lawson at the Racing Bulls.
Verstappen has not had a team mate who can push him to the limit since the departure of Daniel Ricciardo back in 2018 and it is believed despite remaining fully focused on his own driving, Max would now welcome someone alongside him who can be in the mix up front and take points from his championship rivals going forward.
Red Bull’s Achilles heel in recent times has been on street circuits where the surface is uneven or when the temperatures drop late in the day. In Las Vegas Max will face a tough challenge from the Mercedes duo given their car has gone well in Sin City on each of the previous outings.
Red Bull can win in Vegas
That said Ralf Schumacher believes the team have addressed some of their lack of mechanical grip issues given the result in Singapore from Max in the RB21. “However, it worked brilliantly in Singapore where it was warm, unlike in Mexico. Therefore, Las Vegas will be a tough one. On the other tracks, I see the Red Bull with Verstappen at least on par, if not stronger, [than the McLaren].
“The crucial factor will be whether Verstappen maintains his flawless style, or whether he makes a mistake, which has almost never happened so far. After Brazil, it will become clear whether he still has a chance,” said the former F1 racer.
Brazil up next is a key moment in deciding the 2025 drivers’ championship. Poor weather is expected and its a Sprint weekend, so potential chaos plays right into the hands of the talented Dutch driver. Having won four of the last six races and finishing on the podium when not winning, Verstappen has the chance to slash the deficit to Lando Norris this weekend in Brazil.
Qatar a potential banana skin
The one weekend he has to fear is the penultimate round at the Losail circuit in Qatar, where McLaren have proven previously their car concept is the class of the field at the high speed track. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri claimed the top two spots in last year’s Sprint in the desert, although poor qualifying saw Verstappen claim pole for the grand Prix and ultimately the victory on Sunday.
Brazil this weekend is a sell out due to the debut outing of local hero Gabriel Bortoletto. A range of tickets remain available for the Las Vegas Grand Prix as do modestly priced tickets for Grandstand at the final corner in Qatar. Abu Dhabi is a sell out as expectations of a championship decider at the day/night race have been growing in recent weeks.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
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