Max Verstappen approaches the climax of 2025 with a relaxed and upbeat attitude, a journey that will take him through the desert terrain of Qatar, including a sprint race, and on to Abu Dhabi. He believes a touch of luck is necessary in his pursuit of his fifth crown. “I had already counted myself out of the title race after the Zandvoort race,” he admits.
The disqualification of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri last week in Las Vegas was a welcome gift that immediately revived the title fight. The lead of the British ranking leader has now shrunk to 24 points. An unexpected windfall, although Verstappen was already aware that the McLarens would be penalized for excessive plank wear before he boarded the plane.
“Too low is too low. There are no excuses for that,” Verstappen asserts. “The gap has indeed become smaller, but it’s still 24 points. A lot has to go right to still have a chance. Even if I win everything, you still need some luck.” He considers his continued participation in the race as a minor miracle. “After the race in Zandvoort, I thought I was out of the championship. But then, in Monza, the turnaround came. Because of that and some mistakes by others, we are now here. I’m happy with it, although I would have preferred a good first half of the season.”
Despite his still substantial deficit, many experts consider Verstappen the favorite for the world title. Some betting offices also rank him above Norris. However, he remains unfazed, his approach unchanged. “I do it my way. I did that in 2021 and now experience helps in how to approach such a race week.”
Much will depend on his challenger, Red Bull’s RB21. “The most important thing is that we have a fast car, or at least an equivalent one. But even then, you still need some luck. Let’s first see how the car is, in terms of balance and the tires. I’m here to win. Number 1 is the most beautiful number, but if it unexpectedly doesn’t work out, I won’t cry in Abu Dhabi: life goes on.”
Finally, he praised McLaren for the freedom it allows both drivers, within the papaya team rules, to race against each other. According to him, Piastri doesn’t need to become Norris’s helper in the final races. “Why shouldn’t Oscar be allowed to race? He still has a chance at the title… If they told me that, I would respond: get lost. Then others immediately label you as the number two driver,” Verstappen states. “Hopefully, we can make it a great fight until the end.”
