Max Verstappen Shifts Focus to Red Bull’s Troubled 2025 Car

After a challenging few weekends with his team, Max Verstappen has suggested that the Red Bull Formula 1 team should prioritize fixing their problematic 2025 car rather than focusing on the identity of his team-mate. The recent demotion of Liam Lawson to Racing Bulls and Yuki Tsunoda’s move in the opposite direction has sparked controversy, with some comparing Red Bull’s approach to “bullying.

Controversial Driver Swap Sparks Debate

The sudden swap of drivers, which occurred ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, has been met with criticism from former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, who likened Red Bull’s approach to “bullying” on his Instagram profile. Despite the controversy, Max Verstappen has expressed support for the decision, although he did not elaborate on his personal opinion.

The decision to swap drivers has been particularly harsh on Liam Lawson, who was given only two races to adapt before being demoted. This sudden change has left many colleagues and observers feeling that Red Bull’s approach is unfair.

Max Verstappen’s Focus Remains on the 2025 Car

In an interview, Verstappen expressed his concern about the drivability and performance of the difficult 2025 car, stating that this should be Red Bull’s main focus. He emphasized that as soon as the car becomes more competitive and drivable, the second car will naturally improve as well.

Liam Lawson completed 11 races before 2025, but over a different timeframe. Verstappen believes that the beginning of the season is particularly tough for rookies due to their lack of experience with many of the tracks and the unique challenges presented by sprint weekends.

Max Verstappen Diagnoses RB21’s Problems

Verstappen, who spent time at Red Bull’s UK factory to work closely with the team’s engineers on his car’s issues, explained that the RB21 is experiencing a combination of instability and lack of balance. He attributes this to various factors such as corner speed, tarmac, tyres, overheating, bumps, and kerbs.

Verstappen Still Trails McLaren in Standings

Despite grabbing second place in Australia’s rain-affected race and salvaging fourth in China, Verstappen remains second in the standings. He believes that McLaren is currently “comfortably ahead” and will be difficult to catch. However, he remains optimistic about Red Bull’s performance this season.

Despite the challenges, Verstappen continues to work hard, aiming to extract the best possible results from his car. The team is also working tirelessly to improve the 2025 car and close the gap with McLaren. Additional reporting by Erwin JaeggiPhotos from Japanese GP – Thursday