Max Verstappen’s Chances of Winning the F1 Title in 2025 Take a Hit After the Mexican Grand Prix
Max Verstappen has acknowledged that his chances of fighting for the Formula 1 title in 2025 have suffered a setback after the Mexican Grand Prix. The Dutchman finished the race in third place, after starting from fifth, but admitted that the result was below par to keep the championship battle alive.
“I lost ten points to Lando (Norris), if we look at it from that side,” Verstappen said, referring to the McLaren driver who won the race with a comfortable margin. “I had already said before this weekend that everything would have to be perfect until Abu Dhabi to win the championship. And this weekend was not perfect. That’s the answer.”
Verstappen had the opportunity to attack Charles Leclerc in the final laps, but a Virtual Safety Car entry on the last lap prevented any attempt to overtake the Ferrari driver, who finished in P2.
After his victory in the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the four-time champion seemed to be in a favorable position to continue his title hunt this year. However, the result at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez showed that Red Bull Racing still faces limitations in certain conditions.
“It’s going to be difficult, but we’ll see what we can do on the next tracks,” the Dutch driver said. “I hope, of course, that we don’t have another weekend like this, but it’s clear that we’re not fast in all scenarios. And that’s something we need to understand better,” he added.
The performance of Red Bull in Mexico, despite recent updates to the RB21, indicated that the team is still seeking consistency to tackle the different characteristics of the remaining circuits in the season.
