Red Bull Drops Tough Update About Max Verstappen

Red Bull has delivered tough news for Max Verstappen as the 2025 Formula 1 season heats up. According to Helmut Marko, the team will not introduce any more major upgrades for the RB21 car as the season continues.

That means Verstappen, currently third in the championship standings, will need to rely on smaller tweaks and the existing car package in his ongoing battle to defend his crown. Verstappen trails Oscar Piastri by 49 points after the Spanish Grand Prix, a gap that has nearly doubled from 25 just one race earlier.

At the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Verstappen managed only a single point after both safety car timing and strategy setbacks, as well as contact with George Russell’s Mercedes. Meanwhile, Piastri continued his strong form by claiming his fifth win of the season, reinforcing McLaren’s growing dominance.

Throughout the year, Verstappen has been competing at a high level, but the Red Bull car has not matched the pace of the leading McLaren machines driven by Piastri and Lando Norris. The Milton Keynes-based team has struggled with consistency and a narrow operating window for the car, making it hard to deliver strong performances every race weekend.

Marko explained that Red Bull needs a car that is quick across every type of circuit to challenge for the championship. While Verstappen’s driving has remained at the highest level, several factors have not come together as needed.

Getting the most out of the tires and maintaining a wide operating window for the RB21 has often required significant setup changes throughout practice and qualifying. Sometimes the team finds enough improvements to challenge for podiums, but often they lack the steadiness shown by McLaren.

Red Bull has introduced significant updates earlier in the season, like new side pods and an underbody. With the main focus turning to fine-tuning small details, no further large-scale upgrades are set to arrive.

Marko said the team continues to work hard and will keep refining the car as long as Verstappen has a mathematical chance in the championship. If that window closes, attention will shift to development for the 2026 car, but for now, minor updates are all that Verstappen can expect.

The standings underscore the challenge: Verstappen sits on 137 points, trailing both McLarens—Oscar Piastri at 186 and Lando Norris at 176. Red Bull itself has dropped to fourth in the team standings with 144 points, behind McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes.

The rest of the season will demand near-perfect weekends from Verstappen and Red Bull to keep title hopes alive as the schedule continues at the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15. Despite the obstacles, Red Bull is not giving up.

The team remains determined to extract every bit of performance possible from the RB21 for the remainder of the year. For Verstappen and his supporters, every race now carries even greater significance with both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships on the line.