Verstappen title hopes jeopardized as Red Bull make strategic call

Helmut Marko has revealed that Red Bull Racing has ruled out making any “major” upgrades to its RB21 car for the remainder of the season, a strategic decision that could further undermine Max Verstappen’s hopes of clawing back the championship lead from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

With Verstappen now 49 points behind Piastri in the Drivers’ standings, Helmut Marko confirmed the team is shifting away from big development packages.

The decision comes at a crucial juncture, as the Dutch driver struggles to stay in contention for what would be a fifth consecutive world title.

“We're working tirelessly on this and will continue to make small adjustments, but nothing major is planned,” Marko revealed in his Speedweek column.

“We've had some major updates in the past, such as a new underbody and new side-pods. But now it's more about the details.”

The news is unlikely to ease Verstappen’s growing frustrations. Just two races ago, the gap between the Dutchman and Piastri was a manageable 25 points.

But a disastrous weekend in Barcelona marred by poor strategy calls, an ill-timed safety car, and a costly clash with George Russell's Mercedes, left Verstappen with just a single point and his 2025 campaign on shaky ground.

Lacking McLaren’s Consistency

Verstappen’s title defense has been defined by inconsistency – not from the driver himself, but from the car beneath him. Red Bull’s RB21 has proven temperamental, struggling to perform across varying circuits and conditions.

McLaren, by contrast, has delivered a more stable and reliable package, with Piastri and teammate Lando Norris regularly outpacing Red Bull on pure pace.

“To win the drivers' championship, we need a car that's competitive on all tracks, not just on specific circuits. That's not enough for the world championship,” Marko wrote.

“Against the currently strong McLaren team, you only have a chance if everything goes perfectly. We have the perfect driver, but all the factors have to be right – the pit stops, the strategy, the car, and the tyre wear.”

Red Bull has managed to extract stronger results from difficult weekends – often improving between Friday and Sunday – but those recovery efforts are proving increasingly inadequate in the face of McLaren’s consistency and strong execution.

• Read also: Ford won’t ‘run away’ from Red Bull if Verstappen leaves

“You have to get the car into the right working window and the tyres to the right temperature,” added Red Bull’s motorsport advisor.

“Maybe it's just a small adjustment that needs to be made. We often start very poorly in practice on Friday and manage to improve the car by qualifying, sometimes making it capable of a podium finish or even a win.

“However, we lack the consistency that McLaren demonstrates.”

Focus Set to Shift to 2026?

While Red Bull has not formally abandoned the title fight, the absence of further major development raises questions about whether the team is already looking ahead to the future, particularly the looming regulation reset in 2026.

Marko hinted as much, stating: “We'll continue developing as long as there's a chance in the world championship. After that, the focus will shift entirely to the 2026 project.”

For Verstappen, that may signal a difficult reality: unless minor tweaks yield immediate results, the team may soon divert attention away from 2025 altogether, even as he remains mathematically in contention.

With the next rounds coming thick and fast and McLaren showing no signs of slowing down, time is running out for Red Bull to turn the tide.

If the RB21 cannot be brought into a consistent performance window soon, Verstappen’s hopes of retaining his crown may be over even before F1’s summer break.

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