MAX VERSTAPPEN ADDRESSES MCLAREN CONTROVERSY, SLAMS PERCEIVED BIAS CLAIM
Max Verstappen responds to claims McLaren is favouring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri in the F1 title fight. The Red Bull driver also assesses his own "50-50" championship chances with six races left.
Claims that McLaren is favouring Lando Norris over colleague Oscar Piastri in the race for the F1 championship have been addressed by Max Verstappen.
The United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas will kick off the final quarter of the 2025 Formula One season on Friday night.
There is drama on the grid with just six race weekends remaining, but nowhere more so than at the top, where Piastri and Norris, partners at McLaren, are vying for the Drivers' Championship.
With only 22 points separating them on the table, emotions between the two seem to be stronger than ever after their dramatic collision during the previous race at Singapore's Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Following the incident in Singapore, many fans accused McLaren of favouring Norris in the fight for the championship. Current champion Max Verstappen responded to this accusation before the US Grand Prix.
McLaren's well-known "papaya regulations", which allowed both drivers to compete on the track as long as they kept the fight fair, had been the subject of much discussion during the season.
However, the Woking-based team came under fire for favouring the British player in the title chase after they chose not to discipline Norris for momentarily hitting a teammate in Singapore after he launched an aggressive attack from fifth place.
In response to a question about whether he believes that to be the case and whether it would improve his chances of catching the two in the title race, Verstappen joked, "Yes."
Does it assist me? I am not sure. To be honest, I have no idea. Additionally, I do not care because I have no say in what the team decides or how they function as a unit.
"They do what they believe to be right and do it very well, which is evident from their speed and actions during the past few years.
"What matters to me is that we just maximise our potential when we get to the racecourse. We have control over it as long as we can accomplish that.
Verstappen identifies his prospects of taking home the 2025 championship.
With 273 points thus far this season, Verstappen sits 41 points behind Norris and 63 points ahead of championship leader Piastri.
Therefore, many would argue that Verstappen's prospects of keeping his title are at best modest, even with Red Bull's recent upgrades.
The Dutchman, however, expressed his belief that he has a good chance of winning the title before the US Grand Prix.
"I have a 50-50 chance of winning or losing," Verstappen said.
"Being realistic is more important than whether or not you believe in it. We were undoubtedly not vying for the championship throughout the majority of the season.
We have had some positive results lately, and I know that I can be there in those races where the car can move quickly. I would think it is as easy as that.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
