The Formula 1 world was recently shaken by a surprise announcement from Red Bull Racing’s influential advisor Helmut Marko. During an interview with Speedweek, Marko confirmed that the RB21, the car in which Max Verstappen will attempt to win his fifth world title this season, will no longer receive any major upgrades in 2025. The announcement came as a shock to Verstappen, who made no secret of his surprise and frustration. The decision marks a crucial turning point in the season, with Red Bull seemingly shifting its focus to the sweeping regulation changes of 2026, at the expense of the current title fight.

For Verstappen, who is used to racing a competitive car, this news is a bitter pill to swallow. The Dutchman has already had to deal with an RB21 this season that has struggled to keep up with the dominant McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on many circuits. After nine races, Verstappen is third in the championship, 49 points behind leader Piastri. His only win this season came in Japan, where the RB21 performed exceptionally well on the fast Suzuka circuit. However, on tracks where low speeds and grip are crucial, such as Monaco and Bahrain, the car showed clear shortcomings. Verstappen repeatedly complained about the car’s balance, which he described as “disjointed” and difficult to drive, especially in changing temperatures and when taking high kerbs.

Marko’s announcement that there will be no more major upgrades means Verstappen will have to sit out the season with a car that has structural weaknesses. “We have the perfect driver, but that is not enough,” Marko said in his column. “The car has to be competitive on all circuits, not just on specific layouts.” This lack of versatility has left Red Bull in an unusual position: for the first time in years, they are playing catch-up. McLaren, with a car that performs consistently in a variety of conditions, has taken the lead in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. The upgrades Red Bull introduced earlier this season, such as a revised underbody in Jeddah and new sidepods in Imola, brought improvements but were not enough to close the gap to McLaren.

For Verstappen, the situation is particularly frustrating because his contract with Red Bull includes a performance clause, which could allow him to leave the team if the car isn’t competitive enough. Although he’s under contract until 2028, rumours of a potential move to Mercedes or Aston Martin have been gaining traction in recent months. Marko acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and stressed that Red Bull must do everything it can to give Verstappen a winning car. “We have to give him a car with which he can fight for the title,” he told Sky Germany. “Otherwise it will be difficult to keep him.” His words underline the growing pressure within the team, especially since Verstappen has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.

The decision to hold off on major upgrades is partly driven by strategic considerations. With new technical regulations coming in 2026, many teams, including Red Bull, are focusing their resources on developing the car for that season. Formula 1’s cost constraints are forcing teams to make choices, and Red Bull appears to accept that the title fight in 2025 is increasingly out of sight. Nevertheless, Verstappen remains combative. After the race in Spain, where he again struggled to keep up with McLaren, he said: “We are not giving up, but it is clear that we lack speed. I will keep pushing, but the team has to come up with solutions.”

Verstappen’s fans are still hoping for a miracle, but the reality is that Red Bull will probably no longer be able to seriously challenge McLaren this season. The RB21, while improved over the problematic RB20 of 2024, remains a car with too narrow an “operating scale”, as Marko calls it. Small changes in temperature or set-up often lead to large losses in performance, something that Verstappen’s exceptional talent cannot fully compensate for.

For Red Bull and Verstappen, it is now a matter of damage control. As the focus shifts to 2026, Verstappen will have to use his skills to the fullest to score points and defend his position in the championship. The question remains whether his patience and loyalty to Red Bull are strong enough to endure this challenging period, or whether the lure of another team will ultimately be too strong.