Verstappen comeback predicted: 'Never write him off until the chequered flag falls'

So far this season, Red Bull has had to settle for being the fourth-best team behind Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari. During the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen spoke openly and critically about a wrong setup that he said didn’t work, despite his earlier warnings to the team. After qualifying, the Dutchman made it clear that he wasn’t happy. The race went noticeably better: Verstappen even scored his first podium of the year, although he was partly helped by McLaren’s poorly chosen strategy.

Asked about his expectations for Verstappen’s future at Red Bull, De la Rosa points out how quickly the pecking order in the sport can change—especially with the four-time world champion behind the wheel. "I don’t know what Max will ultimately decide, and it’s not for me to comment on that", he says. "The only thing I can say, as a competitor and as someone who knows Max fairly well, is that he will always be someone to reckon with."

According to the Spaniard, Verstappen can never be ruled out, even during difficult weekends. "Even if his car isn’t good enough, it might start raining and suddenly we’re talking again about how great Max Verstappen and Red Bull are. I have enormous respect for Max. Everyone does. He is absolutely someone you should never write off until the checkered flag falls," he adds.

At the same time, De la Rosa expects that the fight at the front won’t be dominated by a single team for now. He believes that not only Ferrari and McLaren, but also Red Bull will still be in the fight. "I’m convinced we’ll go to circuits where Ferrari is strong and to other circuits where Red Bull bounces back", he says. "And I think this is exactly what every Formula 1 fan wants to see. Variety. Different teams fighting for wins, and not just teammates battling each other."

De la Rosa remains cautious about Verstappen’s future. The four-time world champion has previously indicated that the 2027 regulations play an important role in his future plans. The Aston Martin ambassador mainly hopes that Verstappen stays in the sport and says it would be a negative development if he were to leave, although he respects any decision the Dutchman makes.

"I don’t know what Max will do, and that’s entirely up to him. I respect any decision he makes", he says. "I just hope he stays, because Formula 1 must retain the best drivers in the world. And Max is absolutely one of the best, perhaps even one of the best ever. It would be a big loss for everyone if Max were to leave."

De la Rosa doesn’t want to say too much about the debate surrounding the 2027 rule changes. However, he has confidence in the direction the sport will ultimately take. "Honestly, I don’t know which way it’s going. It’s not for me to decide. But what I can say is that whatever they do, it will be an improvement. Formula 1 is known for constantly improving itself," he explains.

As an example, he points to the recent adjustments the FIA has implemented regarding the cars’ energy management: "Drivers weren’t happy with the level of electrification, but some changes have now been made, and you could clearly see in qualifying that it worked better."

That’s why De la Rosa is not particularly worried about the sport’s future. "Changes will come. But it’s up to Formula 1 and the FIA to make those decisions. As fans, we should feel comfortable with that, because the sport will only get better and better," he concludes with an encouraging message.

In the same conversation with GPblog, De la Rosa also commented on the battles between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli during the race weekend in Canada. According to the Spaniard, far too much was read into it, purely because both drivers race for the same team.

The former Formula 1 driver called the contact during the sprint race a normal racing incident and praised the way the two Mercedes drivers fought each other. In his view, no one would have paid attention if Russell and Antonelli had been driving for different teams.

De la Rosa also does not expect Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to worry about the internal battle. He points out that modern Formula 1 teams have clear agreements about how teammates should race each other and emphasizes that mistakes can always happen, as long as there is no intent.

According to De la Rosa, F1 must be careful not to let these kinds of battles disappear. He sees the sport as a place where drivers should be able to race each other, regardless of their car’s livery. That’s precisely why he enjoyed the duel between Russell and Antonelli and the fact that other teams were also prominently involved in the fight at the front.