F1 News: Max Verstappen's Father Applies Pressure On Red Bull - 'Things Have To Happen'

Saajan Jogia | 2 Hours Ago

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - FEBRUARY 29: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Jos Verstappen walk in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on February 29, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) / Red Bull Content Pool

Despite Max Verstappen securing his fourth world championship title, his father, Jos Verstappen, noted that Max is no longer consistently winning races. Given the challenges surrounding the RB20 F1 car, Jos revealed his doubts about Red Bull's ability to maintain a winning streak in 2025 and help Max claim his fifth title. However, he acknowledged that the team has identified the car's issues, noting that future success hinges on how effectively it addresses these problems.

Max dominated the early part of the 2024 season, winning seven of the first ten races. However, the landscape shifted after the Spanish Grand Prix, as McLaren emerged as a strong force in the ground-effect era. The Papaya team's Lando Norris became a serious competitor, pushing the Dutchman to his limits and putting his championship hopes in jeopardy until the Sao Paulo Grand Prix arrived.

The race at Interlagos proved to be a turning point in the championship battle against Norris when he recovered from the 17th spot to first in a wet race that saw several yellow flags and one red flag. Although Max achieved a mountainous feat, the close battle could be seen as a warning to Red Bull since it is anticipated that the 2025 season will showcase a tighter grid.

Jos noted the RB20's balance problems mid-season that Red Bull struggled to diagnose and resolve. While Max managed to up his ante and win the championship, the same can't be said about the Constructors' Championship as Red Bull lost the first and second places to McLaren and Ferrari. The loss could be attributed to problems on Sergio Perez's RB20, which were more severe and added to the Mexican driver's inconsistent form.

Given the car issues Red Bull faced this season, coupled with significant departures like Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, Jos Verstappen acknowledged it was a positive step that the team has identified the problem. However, he raised doubts about Red Bull's ability to produce a title-winning car for next season unless it can start securing race victories early on. Speaking to Viaplay, as reported by RacingNews365, he said:

"At least they know where the problems are and what needs to be changed. Now it's up to them to show how well they understand and what they are creating.

"I want to see it first next year. We started this year very well and then only slipped. It's up to the team to show how they are going to be next year."

Jos highlighted Max's exceptional abilities, emphasizing that he managed to secure the championship even without having the fastest car on the grid. He added:

"They [Red Bull] are not running the fastest car at the moment, otherwise he [Max Verstappen] would be winning races.

"For next year some things have to happen for them to be competitive again. It also shows again how Max handles it and how strong he is."