Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has warned that Red Bull are unlikely to unlock extra pace from their car in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
With the team struggling to keep up early in the championship, the reigning champion may need to rely on his raw talent to stay in the title fight.
Red Bull have stumbled out of the gates, failing to win either of the first two races of the year, a stark contrast to their dominant form since 2022.
Meanwhile, rivals McLaren have seized the initiative, topping the order with a strong start led by Lando Norris. The Briton has already bagged a win and a second-place finish, vaulting him ahead of Verstappen in the standings and making him a firm favourite among fans and pundits alike.
Formula 1 is in the final stretch of its current technical regulation cycle, where breakthroughs in car development are becoming harder to achieve.
For Red Bull, this appears to have capped their potential, leaving them on the back foot.
Vermeulen admitted as much in an interview with Formula 1 Magazine. “The car is at the development ceiling, so Max will have to make the difference himself,” he said. “It will be an exciting season.”
Verstappen has cruised to the last three drivers’ titles with relative ease, often dominating races by wide margins. However, Vermeulen believes the Dutchman will relish the challenge of a tighter scrap in 2025. “Look, Max will say that he prefers to win races with a 10 or 20-second lead, as has often happened in the past,” Vermeulen said.
“But I think he will enjoy this season tremendously as a racer, even if he won’t say that out loud.”
.
