Red Bull Issued Max Verstappen Demand by Christian Horner as T...read more

Christian Horner Urges Red Bull to Keep Verstappen in Title Contention Amid McLaren Surge

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has issued a firm challenge to his team, calling on them to step up and support Max Verstappen’s bid for a fifth straight Formula 1 world title.

The reigning champion faces a growing uphill battle in the 2025 drivers’ standings, now trailing Oscar Piastri by 49 points following a costly Spanish Grand Prix. Verstappen was hit with a 10-second penalty for a collision with George Russell, leaving him with just one point from the weekend — a significant blow in the context of a tightly contested season.

Speaking to media, including RacingNews365, Horner acknowledged McLaren’s current dominance and urged Red Bull to respond decisively.

“We’ve got to make sure we stay in the fight with McLaren,” Horner said. “To beat them, we need to start taking points off them. They’ve got a quick car and two very strong drivers.”

While Verstappen has managed to remain competitive with wins at Suzuka and Imola, the Red Bull RB21 has often been outperformed by McLaren’s MCL39. In Spain, a bold three-stop strategy initially had Verstappen aiming for a podium, but a late safety car caused by Kimi Antonelli disrupted the plan, dropping him to a disappointing tenth-place finish.

Despite the setback, Horner remains optimistic about the title fight, emphasizing the importance of development over the coming weeks.

“We need to improve the car during this phase of the championship and make sure we’re not losing touch with them before the summer break,” he added. “If we can stay close and gain some momentum, Max will be right back in the fight.”

With 15 races still to go, Red Bull’s response in the upcoming rounds will be crucial in determining whether Verstappen can mount a comeback against the McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris.