F1 News: Max Verstappen’s father puts pressure on Red Bull

Despite Max Verstappen securing his fourth world title, father, Jos Verstappenhe noticed that Max was no longer consistently winning races. Given the challenges posed by the RB20 F1 car, Jos revealed his doubts whether Red Bull would be able to maintain its winning streak in 2025 and help Max win a fifth title. However, he admitted that the team had identified problems with the car, noting that future success depended on how effectively it solved these problems.

Max dominated the start of the 2024 season, winning seven of the first ten races. However, the landscape changed after the Spanish Grand Prix as McLaren emerged as a strong force in the ground effect era. Papaya’s Lando Norris became a serious competitor, pushing the Dutchman to his limits and jeopardizing his championship hopes until the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The race at Interlagos proved to be the turning point in Norris’s championship fight when he rose from 17th to first place in a wet race that saw several yellow flags and one red flag. Although Max achieved a mountainous feat, the fierce battle could be seen as a warning to Red Bull as the stakes are expected to be tighter in the 2025 season.

Jos noticed balance issues with the RB20 mid-season, which Red Bull had difficulty diagnosing and resolving. While Max managed to up the ante and win the championship, the same couldn’t be said for the Constructors’ Championship as Red Bull lost first and second places to McLaren and Ferrari. The loss can be attributed to problems on Sergio Perez’s RB20, which were more serious and compounded by the Mexican driver’s inconsistent form.

Given the car problems that Red Bull have faced this season, coupled with notable departures such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, Jos Verstappen admitted that the team’s identification of the problem was a positive step. However, he expressed doubts whether Red Bull would be able to produce a title-winning car for next season if it does not start delivering race victories first. As reported by Viaplay Racing News365he said:

“At least they know where the problems are and what needs to be changed. Now it’s their job to show how well they understand and what they create.

“I want to see it for the first time next year. We started this year very well and then we just fell. It’s up to the team to show how they do next year.”

Jos highlighted Max’s exceptional skills, emphasizing that he managed to secure the championship even without having the fastest car on the grid. Added:

“They (Red Bull) are not driving the fastest car at the moment, otherwise he (Max Verstappen) would be winning races.

“There are a few things that need to happen next year to make them competitive again. It also shows how Max deals with it and how strong he is.”