Max Verstappen just locked up his fourth straight F1 championship, but his boss thinks the real drama is just beginning.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes 2025 will be “a thriller” as other teams close the gap on their dominance.
Verstappen clinched the title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Lando Norris to add another trophy to his growing collection. It’s a win that puts him firmly among F1’s all-time greats.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing this year.
The team struggled with their RB20 car for months, with Verstappen going winless between Spain and Brazil. Despite wrestling with an underperforming car, he still managed to wrap up the championship with two races left.
“We don’t know what the others are doing,” Horner told reporters, including GPblog. “We’re a team that would rather understate and over-deliver.”
He’s noticed how other teams are catching up, thanks to stable regulations that keep everyone playing by the same rules.
“It’s great for the sport,” Horner admitted. “But there’s so much competition.”
The pressure’s clearly getting to him: “I’ve got a few more grey hairs this year,” he joked.
But Horner’s confidence in his team hasn’t wavered. “We’ve got the best driver in our car and the best team as well,” he said. They’re already planning improvements to fix the RB20’s weak spots over the winter.
Before the 2025 season kicks off, F1 has two more stops this year. There’s Qatar, featuring the year’s final sprint race, followed by the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Teams will stick around after Abu Dhabi for pre-season testing, getting their first real look at what 2025 might bring.
