Max Verstappen handed damning 'too slow' verdict

Max Verstappen has watched his slim F1 title chances slip further away in recent rounds, having scored a meagre 41 points over the past five grands prix.

In that span, championship leader Oscar Piastri has taken 88 points and Lando Norris has secured 93, meaning the McLaren team-mates are 69 and 61 points ahead of the Dutchman, respectively, at the halfway stage of the campaign.

The Red Bull driver has continued to put together impressive displays across the season, but has also cost himself points, something he rarely did in 2024, as he charged towards his fourth-consecutive F1 drivers' title.

As the calendar enters its second half, there is considerable change at the Milton Keynes squad. Christian Horner is out as team principal, and Laurent Mekies has been promoted from Racing Bulls.

The heavy speculation linking Verstappen to Mercedes continues to add a serious dose of intrigue to F1's silly season, but whether the shock change of boss can help the 27-year-old sustain his championship aspirations remains to be seen.

One saving grace for the 65-time grand prix winner is the intra-team battle at McLaren. Whilst it has stayed civil throughout the campaign thus far, could the rising tension of the title fight open the door for Verstappen?

It would not be unprecedented. Alain Prost snatched away the championship from the dominant Williams pair of Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet in 1986, and Kimi Raikkonnen pinched it away from Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in 2007.

However, F1 fans have delivered an overwhelming verdict for Verstappen, one he will not like, despite having already ruled himself out of the title equation.

In a recent poll by RacingNews365, over three-quarters of respondents judged the RB21 to be too slow to compete with the MCL39, no matter what happens between Piastri and Norris.

Check out the full results below, and let us know what you think in the comments section.