Max Verstappen isn’t taking anything for granted heading into 2025, warning that his run of Formula 1 dominance could be in serious danger.
The three-time world champion had to work harder than ever to secure his 2024 title, with rivals breathing down Red Bull’s neck throughout the season.
“If we continue like this, I won’t be the champion next year. It’s as simple as that,” Verstappen told De Telegraaf in a surprisingly candid interview.
While the season started perfectly for the Dutch superstar, things got complicated fast. McLaren shocked everyone by sometimes having the faster car in the second half of the year. Ferrari and Mercedes weren’t far behind either, showing serious pace at certain tracks.
It was enough to make Red Bull sweat about their constructors’ championship position, though Verstappen still managed to bring home the drivers’ title.
But he knows that’s not enough anymore.
The 26-year-old is pushing his team to make major changes for 2025. They struggled with balance issues throughout 2024, something Verstappen believes they can fix. “Certain things we couldn’t change last year will be changed for next year,” he explained.
Despite the challenges ahead, Verstappen isn’t losing sleep just yet. He’s pretty confident Red Bull can sort out their problems. But he’s also realistic – if they do lose their crown in 2025, he says it’ll be purely down to race pace.
It’s a stark warning from a driver who’s dominated F1 for the past few years. The question now is: can Red Bull step up, or is F1 about to see a changing of the guard?
