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 have no idea what Max will decide or not, and it's not for me to say," he says. "The only thing as a rival, and someone that I know Max quite well, is that he's always a competitor to consider."

According to the Spaniard, Verstappen can never be ruled out, even during difficult weekends. "Even if his car is not good enough, today could be wet, you know, the race, and then we're talking about how great Max Verstappen and Red Bull are. So, you know, I have a huge amount of respect for Max. Everyone has. And he's definitely someone that you can never take out of the equation until the flag drops," he adds.

At the same time, De la Rosa expects that the fight at the front will not 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 pretty sure we will go to some circuits and the Ferrari will be there and some others where the Red Bulls will bounce back," he says. "I think this is what everyone, one fan, we are one. It's diversity. Different teams fighting for winsa nd not only teammates."

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 it's up to him. I fully respect whatever he decides," he says. "I just hope he stays, you know, because Formula 1 needs to keep the best drivers in the world and definitely Max is one of the best and possibly one of the best ever. So it will be a major loss for everyone having Max 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. "I don't know where it will go. It's not up to me to decide. But all I'm saying is that whatever they do, I'm pretty sure it will improve because one thing that Formula 1 is well known for is always improving," he explains.

As an example, he points to the recent adjustments the FIA has implemented regarding the cars’ energy management: "Drivers are not so happy about the electrification level, but they have introduced some changes for these races, and it clearly was better."

That’s why De la Rosa is not particularly worried about the sport’s future. "Changes will happen. But it's up to F1 and the FIA, really, to decide on them. But as a fan, we should all be comfortable 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 Russell and 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.