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Red Bull Racing faces changes but remains committed to the 2025 F1 championship. Helmut Marko vows to fight for the title until it’s mathematically out of reach for Max Verstappen.
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen (AFP)
Despite major internal changes and mounting challenges, Red Bull Racing is not giving up on the 2025 Formula 1 championship.
Helmut Marko, the team’s motorsport adviser, has vowed to keep fighting until the title is mathematically out of reach for Max Verstappen, even following the abrupt dismissal of long-time team principal Christian Horner.
“We Will Continue to Fight”
Marko, addressing speculation that the team might shift focus to 2026 under new principal Laurent Mekies, firmly rejected any such notion.
“There are still twelve races to go, and we will continue to fight for the drivers’ championship as long as it’s mathematically possible,” he said in a team statement.
Verstappen currently sits third in the standings, 69 points behind the leader, and has expressed doubts about his championship prospects.
Verstappen’s Uncertain Future
Red Bull’s struggles this season have fueled uncertainty around Verstappen’s future. While Horner previously insisted Verstappen intended to stay through 2026, the reigning champion has refused to publicly commit to remaining with the team.
With Mercedes potentially waiting in the wings, Red Bull faces a critical decision window. Losing Verstappen late in 2025 could derail development for 2026 and leave few proven alternatives.
Verstappen has scored 165 of Red Bull’s 172 points this season, highlighting the disparity within the team. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda, whose contract runs through 2025, has yet to prove he can match Verstappen’s performance.
Mekies must decide whether Tsunoda remains for 2026 or if a new talent — such as Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar — gets the nod. Mekies’ past decision to demote Liam Lawson after a brief stint also casts a shadow over such choices.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Red Bull must now navigate the most significant technical overhaul in F1 since 2014. The team dominated the 2022 rule changes under designer Adrian Newey, who has since departed for Aston Martin.
Mekies inherits the challenge of steering Red Bull’s 2026 project, including a major in-house engine program with Ford, just as rival teams gear up to challenge Red Bull’s supremacy.
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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