Max Verstappen during FP2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Verstappen hints title fight could collapse without perfection

11:03, 25 Oct

bySamson Ero

Max Verstappen has revealed that his 2025 title charge will only succeed if he and the Red Bull Racing team deliver perfection.

“As a team, it needs to be perfect till the end to have a chance.”

- Max Verstappen

The four-time world champion, speaking to the media during the Mexican Grand Prix, highlighted the need to maintain his impressive run of form to clinch the title before praising the team’s remarkable comeback.

“It's still the same, worst case, I finish P3, right? Nothing really changes. I just want to try and win races till the end of the season.”

“I hope it's possible every weekend, but it's impossible to know at the moment. We are on a good run, and we also know as a team that it needs to be perfect till the end to have a chance. If it works, great – unbelievable comeback. If it doesn't work, you just continue.”

“You can be proud of the end-of-season performance and the upswing in form, but don't worry about that in Abu Dhabi.”

Max Verstappen in Mexico City - Photo: Race Pictures

Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing team have witnessed an upsurge in performance, particularly since the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. The 28-year-old has since cut the lead at the top of the drivers’ standings to 40 points, down from over 100 as it was at the summer break.

Verstappen on chasing the title from an underdog role

The Dutch driver also weighed in on pursuing the world title from the underdog position. Verstappen stressed how surprising it feels to still remain in the title fight before reiterating the need for perfection to clinch the championship.

“It doesn't really change a lot. Naturally, you want to win, you want to win the championship, and I've won championships very early and very late. Now this one is very different because, for most of the season, it was much harder for us.”

“To be honest, to still be in this fight is very surprising, but I take it. Like I said before, we need to be perfect, but for me, it's just positive pressure. I'm loving what I'm doing. If the car is competitive, it's much better to be racing in it than when it's not.”

“Every race we do, I know that till the end we can't afford any bad luck or mistakes. But this team has shown in the past that we normally perform really well under pressure anyway, and that's what we'll try to do till the end.”