Verstappen makes 'big battle' prediction ahead of F1 title defence

Max Verstappen expects the 2025 F1 season to be a "big battle" as he looks to match Michael Schumacher's record of five-consecutive drivers' championships.

It's a feat not even Lewis Hamilton has achieved and with Red Bull entering the campaign a diminished force, the Dutchman knows he will need to "keep maximising" results, an approach that was the lynchpin of his fourth crown.

The 27-year-old has called on Red Bull to make the RB21 "more drivable" than its predecessor, the troublesome RB20.

The Milton Keynes team struggled to successfully develop the car after a promising start to campaign, which began in a similar vein to the 2023, when it won 21 of 22 grand prix.

Like many teams in F1, Red Bull found the more upgrades it delivered, the more unstable and unbalanced its package became.

Whilst Verstappen was able to hold on to claim the drivers' title, beating Lando Norris by 63 points, the team could not secure a third constructors' championship on the bounce, largely due to the poor form of the now-replaced Sergio Perez.

McLaren and Ferrari usurped Red Bull, leaving the 63-time grand prix winner enduring an uncertain winter as he awaits the reality of the 2025 title fight.

With F1 entering the final year of its current rules set, it had been anticipated that much of the paddock would turn its focus to the next regulatory era. However, that has proven to not be the case, and Verstappen expects Red Bull's rivals to continue to improve.

"A few things we couldn't change anymore this year, so that is something for next year," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365 when reflecting on the campaign. "I just hope that that makes the car more drivable, in general, [and] of course, more competitive.

"I also know that the other ones are not sitting still, so next year is going to be a big battle. But even when you're not the quickest, if you just keep maximising those results, a lot is possible."

Red Bull 'doesn't give up'

Looking back on the season, Verstappen maintained how "proud" he is of a team that "doesn't give up", after it managed to pull the RB20 back towards competitiveness.

"What I know is that the team doesn't give up," he stated stated. "There are a lot of very competent people and I really enjoy working with them.

"I know it's been tough for them as well. There was a lot of pressure on them last year.

"When you come out of a season like 2023, where basically we broke every record, and then at one point you start to struggle with the car and you don't really seem to understand what is going on or what is going wrong, it's important to remain calm and try to fix it.

"I'm very proud of how everyone stuck together in those very tough races where we came out a bit lost. Then we got back at the factory, there were a lot of analysis going on. Just the response from that, I think when we went to Austin, after really understanding our issues from Monza, to see already an upturn in performance and a lot of ideas for next year."

Despite the disappointment of surrendering the constructors' championship, the Dutchman highlighted the enjoyment he derives from the "people management" side of being a leading figure within the team.

"Every person in the team has their own emotions that you have to deal with," Verstappen said. "So in a way, it's also people management, because everyone reacts a little bit different to good results or bad results.

"But that's something that I enjoy as well, because everyone has their own character. But we all have to work together to the same end goal."