Red Bull stripped of 'big threat' reputation in major McLaren boost

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has dismissed Red Bull as a "big threat" to McLaren, declaring that all of the top teams are "falling away" from the Woking-based outfit.

McLaren has dominated the 2025 F1 season and currently holds a staggering 299-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ championship.

The British squad looks set to defend its crown with ease, while Oscar Piastri leads team-mate Lando Norris by nine points in the drivers’ championship.

Max Verstappen had been McLaren’s biggest concern in the early rounds, following impressive victories in Japan and Imola.

However, the four-time world champion has now slipped 97 points behind Piastri, prompting Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko to rule the Dutchman out of the title fight.

Mercedes and Ferrari have occasionally challenged McLaren, but Verstappen had been their most consistent threat.

Palmer no longer sees that as the case this year and expects yet another comfortable one-two finish for McLaren at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.

Asked on the F1 Nations podcast if a fight for the win between the McLarens should be expected in Zandvoort, Palmer said: "I think we have to, don't we? Every race now is becoming more and more dominated by McLaren. I think the rivals are generally falling away. 

"Red Bull are dropping a long way, I think, at the moment, and I don't see that changing too much for the next few races. And they were the big threat, really early on. 

"You had the odd Mercedes decent performance. You had Ferrari very occasionally getting in the mix. Obviously, Leclerc is off the back of a pole position [in Hungary]. 

"But in terms of consistency in qualifying and the race, the two McLarens have an advantage, and I'd be quite surprised if they're not one and two again in Zandvoort."