After stunning the world in Japan with his miraculous qualifying performance, Max Verstappen came crashing down to earth in Bahrain. In a race marred by two pit stop errors, Verstappen finished 6th after qualifying 7th, missing out on crucial points. 2nd after his win in Japan, Verstappen now sits 3rd, 8 points behind Lando Norris in the championship.
With McLaren now having the fastest car on the grid, Red Bull’s lack of performance does not bode well for the four-time champ’s title defence or his future in the team.
Max’s race win in Japan didn’t come without some struggle. McLaren were the red hot favourites heading into the Grand Prix weekend. Having won the opening two rounds, no one in their right mind expected Verstappen to snatch pole from the McLarens. Strapping a low down force set up onto his ailing RB21, Verstappen channelled every ounce of talent he had, putting together an otherworldly lap. Neck and neck with Norris throughout the lap, Verstappen put in a slightly better third sector, beating Norris by the slimmest of margins. With qualifying now a premium around Suzuka, Verstappen’s 64th race victory was assured.
But, his luck would change a week later when the F1 circus moved on to Bahrain. Stuck in the doldrums for years, McLaren are back to their former glory, with the Woking-based team picking up their first Constructors’ title in 26 years last season. And with two talented drivers in Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris piloting the MCL39, Verstappen has his work cut out for him in 2025.
Facing the media ahead of FP3, Max said he had “difficulty” getting to a handle of the car, struggling most of all with grip. The Dutch driver wasn’t happy with his car at all during the final practice session, ducking into the pits for a quick set-up change ahead of qualifying. And as you know, things wouldn’t get any better in qualifying. Making it through the first and second session, Verstappen could only manage 7th for the race on Sunday. Winning the last Bahrain Grand Prix by quite a comfortable margin, Verstappen struggled this time out, coming home 6th.
Sitting 3rd in the championship, Max Verstappen’s time at Red Bull could be drawing to a close, with a clause in his contract reportedly making him a free agent if he slips any lower than 3rd in the championship by the summer break. Speaking to Sky Germany, Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s Chief Advisor, says this performance clause does indeed exist. Concern is rife at Red Bull over Verstappen’s departure, with the team doing everything they can to keep Verstappen’s title fight alive. Marko says improvements to the RB21 are coming “in the near future.”
The Golden Boy has highlighted a number of issues with the current car, namely balance and grip. But Marko says it’s all under control.
“We’ve got a strong technical team that has produced some amazing cars over the last few years, and I’m confident they’ll get to the bottom of the issue.”
But that’s a whole easier said than done, especially with Red Bull’s secret weapon Adrian Newey now working for one of Verstappen’s would be suitors: Aston Martin. The engineering powerhouse is responsible for all four of the reigning champ’s titles, and is one of the sport’s hottest commodities. Driving a Newey-special is a dream for any driver, least of all Max Verstappen.
A record-breaking pay packet has made the prospect all the more enticing for Verstappen . La Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian sports paper, says Aston Martin has thrown $300 million Verstappen’s way. The deal is reportedly backed by Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, who are looking to buy the team from Lawrence Stroll. Should he choose to accept the lucrative offer, Verstappen will race for the team for three years, says La Gazzetta dello Sport.
With Red Bull committing to Ford as their engine manufacturer for the 2026 regulation changes, Honda has found a new partner in Aston Martin. Like with Newey, Honda is partly responsible for all of Max Verstappen’s titles. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso currently drive for the team. Alonso’s time in the sport may very well be drawing to a close, having raced in F1 since 2001. While Lance Stroll is nowhere near talented enough to be in F1, his future at Aston Martin is certain.
But Aston Martin isn’t the only team on the grid desperate to have Verstappen race for them. Mercedes have been after Verstappen’s services for some time now, ever since they missed out on signing him as a junior. From what we’ve seen this season, Mercedes are also returning to form, a scary prospect for anyone who remembers the dark days between 2014 and 2020. Committing to their junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the long term, George Russell is the one on the chopping block. But with Russell performing quite well so far this season, it’s hard to see why Mercedes would want to get rid of him just yet.
This is all just speculation, however, with Verstappen committed to Red Bull until the end of 2028. Whether or not he’ll switch to another team, or wrap up his career altogether, is up in the air. Entering the sport as a fresh faced 17-year-old in 2015, Verstappen will have raced in F1 for 13 years by 2028, enjoying a career longer than many drivers. We’ll just have to wait and see how it all pans out.
