F1 News: 5th-Straight Verstappen title becoming 'unrealistic'

(GMM) Max Verstappen’s chances of securing a fifth consecutive world championship are becoming “unrealistic” because he is carrying the Red Bull sled on his back.

That’s the frank admission of Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko, who admitted the small step forward delivered by car updates at Imola were nonetheless “disappointing”.

As for Verstappen, he said after Friday practice: “The McLaren overtook me and drove away. That says it all.”

Marko said the Imola upgrade has at least cured the car’s understeer. “But other problems have arisen,” said the Austrian. “We have a fundamental problem.

“We lost four tenths to the McLarens. Around this circuit, that’s a lot. And in the race, the McLarens still seem to be in a class of their own again.

“The World Championship for Max Verstappen is becoming increasingly unrealistic.”

That’s very bad news for Red Bull, especially with Verstappen’s performance exit clauses looming for the summer break.

His father and co-manager Jos is unimpressed. “At the start of the season they shouted loudly that something would happen at Imola,” he told Racexpress.

“It’s absolutely important that it starts to go in the right direction a little now, because otherwise the gap will simply become too big. Then it won’t work out this year.”

Once teams begin to realize McLaren cannot be caught, their full focus will switch to the radical new regulations for 2026. Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur insists that moment is yet to arrive for the Italian team.

“It’s very important to stay competitive this season,” he insisted, “because it’s precisely when you’re fighting for something that you pay attention to the details.

“Some may think my perspective is wrong, but I can’t imagine how a group of 1000 people can maintain the same motivation if they’ve essentially given up on a season,” Vasseur added.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks with Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari prior to the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Amid the upgrades up and down pitlane, the biggest step may have been taken by Aston Martin – whose lead driver Fernando Alonso is yet to score even a single point in 2025.

“Aston Martin has a huge update here,” Williams boss James Vowles told El Mundo Deportivo newspaper. “I think it’s a new car, almost.”