F1 CHAMPION MAKES CRUCIAL ASSESSMENT OF MAX VERSTAPPEN AS PRE

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Max Verstappen has been declared "relaxed" and with "nothing to lose" in his F1 drivers' championship battle with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

From a position where even Verstappen was suggesting he was not in contention to become a five-time F1 champion, a stirring run of results have propelled the Red Bull driver back into the fight with Piastri and Norris.

In the five grands prix since F1 returned from the summer break, Verstappen has scored three wins and finished second on the other two occasions, whilst he also triumphed in Saturday's United States Sprint.

The addition of a new floor and front wing on his RB21 over the Italian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix respectively have transformed his RB21, providing it with the aerodynamic grip and balance it was so previously sorely lacking.

Heading into this weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix, Verstappen trails Piastri by just 40 points, eating into what was once a 104-point deficit just four races ago.

Damon Hill, the 1996 F1 champion, senses Verstappen's approach to the second half of this campaign has been the key danger to Piastri and Norris.

"He's relaxed," said Hill, speaking to RacingNews365. "He's got nothing to lose. Don't misinterpret that. He wants another world title. Then he's got five.

"This is a game of winning the most, but he's not under the same pressure as the other two."

Whilst Red Bull has continued to upgrade the RB21, McLaren switched off the development of its MCL39 a few races ago.

Despite the precarious position it now finds itself in, with Verstappen breathing down the necks of Piastri and Norris, team principal Andrea Stella has insisted there is no change of mind given the focus and resources required for 2026.

Teams have been forced to balance their needs accordingly. Red Bull has clearly had the means and opportunity to continue with updates to its car, in contrast to McLaren.

"The budget cap has done its job," said Hill. "It's actually closed things up towards the end of the season. In a way, it's a good regulation. It's what we want."

As to whom he would put his money on for the title now given what has happened, Hill said: "What are the odds? I'd put it on Max, wouldn't I, because the odds are going to be ridiculous.

"If you ask me, who's going to win, I don't know. I would just say, if you're talking about who's the biggest threat, it's Max."

- Ian Parkes

MAX VERSTAPPEN MAKES SHOCK REQUEST AFTER RED BULL HORROR SHOW

Max Verstappen has made a request not many would expect given one of the reigning world champion's greatest strengths.

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Max Verstappen has requested that rain does not fall during the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the Dutchman hoping for a dry race at the Hungaroring. 

Red Bull has endured a disastrous weekend in Hungary, to the extent that Verstappen had to settle for eighth on the grid. 

Yuki Tsunoda suffered a fourth Q1 exit in the last eight races, although was only 0.163s slower than his team-mate in the first part of qualifying. 

Both Red Bull drivers have encountered major grip issues, resulting in a dramatic loss of performance. 

Discussing Red Bull's grip issues, Verstappen told select media, including RacingNews365: "It's not running all weekend, so in that area [I feel] the same.

"Sometimes you think the balance is actually not very bad yet, in terms of a lot of understeer or oversteer. 

"But you just have zero grip, you can't attack corners and can't get on the gas. Nothing actually..."

Following qualifying, Verstappen was very vocal over the difficulties with the RB21, similar to how he reacted to qualifying in seventh last season at the Italian Grand Prix.

Asked if qualifying felt as bad as Monza last year, Verstappen stated: "In my opinion it was. It wasn't long ago... Monza was also really bad. 

"I also have little confidence that things will improve a lot during the race. I just don't have any grip, so then you're just sliding. I also have more tyre wear, so that doesn't really help either."

Interestingly, the weather looks set for a significant change ahead of the race, with heavy rain forecast. 

This has usually been a blessing for the four-time world champion; however, he is hopeful the showers stay away from the circuit.

"I never expected it to be our best weekend, but this was too tough. With the feeling I have in the car now, I'm also definitely hoping it doesn't rain."

- Aaron Deckers & Nick Golding

RED BULL NOW 'FEAR' ONE MAX VERSTAPPEN OUTCOME THAT WILL BE 'TERRIBLE' FOR THE F1 TEAM'S IMAGE

Photo by Pablo Morano/Anadolu via Getty Images

Max Verstappen hurt his own hopes of becoming a five-time Formula 1 champion in 2025 by receiving a penalty for driving into George Russell in the Spanish Grand Prix.

The Red Bull star has a chance to match only Michael Schumacher by winning the F1 drivers’ championship in five successive seasons this term. Yet Verstappen left 11 points on the table at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday, which let Oscar Piastri build his lead to 49.

Verstappen also now trails Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 39 points, having sat only 22 and nine points shy two rounds earlier when the Dutchman won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. He was even just 25 and 22 points shy after sealing P4 in the Monaco Grand Prix.

But Piastri now boasts nearly two Grand Prix wins in hand over the 27-year-old after the first nine rounds, following Verstappen’s 10-second penalty for driving into Russell in the Spanish GP. His penalty demoted the Red Bull racer from at worst P4 in Montmelo to just 10th place.

Red Bull ‘fear’ Max Verstappen getting a race ban for the 2025 F1 Austrian Grand Prix

The four-time reigning champion’s emotions got the better of him when Red Bull incorrectly told Verstappen to yield P4 to Russell in Spain. But possibly worse than the points he threw away were the three penalty points that the FIA’s race stewards also awarded for the crash.

Verstappen is now just one penalty point from an automatic one-race ban, with the Red Bull racer on 11/12 allowed in a rolling 12-month period. So, he must avoid an incident across the Canadian Grand Prix weekend (June 13-15) and also the Austrian Grand Prix (June 27-29).

Thousands of Dutch fans flock to the Red Bull Ring to support Verstappen, and Red Bull feel it can harm their image if their lead driver were absent. It would also harm their position in the constructors’ championship with Red Bull now just fourth and 218 points from McLaren.

So, ‘everyone’ at Red Bull hopes their ‘fear’ that Verstappen might miss the Austrian GP due to a race ban remains just that and never a reality. Yet their fear of a race ban will persist, as Verstappen will not lose any more of his penalty points after June 30 until October 27 (two).

How many penalty points does Max Verstappen have after his Spanish GP crash with George Russell?

While Motorsport.com reports that Red Bull ‘fear’ Verstappen receiving a race ban for their home race, the Austrian GP, with a penalty at the Canadian GP, the team will also dread the Dutchman getting a penalty in Spielberg which would rule him out of the British Grand Prix.

Silverstone is also a home event for Red Bull, whose factory is in Milton Keynes, and will be a great chance for Verstappen to take points out of Piastri and Norris. Their RB21 will suit the high-speed layout of the British GP venue potentially even more so than McLaren’s MCL39.

Fears might also persist in Milton Keynes even if Verstappen gets through the Canadian and Austrian Grand Prix events without a penalty. He will not drop any more penalty points until after the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, which leaves nine rounds after the Red Bull Ring race.

Verstappen will start to lose most of the 11 penalty points the Red Bull driver now has after crashing into Russell in Spain across the tail end of the 2025 season. He will lose two points on October 27 and then one on November 2, one on December 1 and two on December 8.

- Kyle Archer