Max Verstappen has not won in Formula 1 for six races. The Red Bull rivals are closing in on him in the championship. McLaren could already overtake them in one of the rankings in Baku.
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- Max Verstappen has been waiting for a win for six Formula 1 races and admits disgruntledly before the race in Azerbaijan: "I have my own problems."
- Verstappen's cushion in the title race is still 62 points over his closest rival Lando Norris. However, Red Bull could lose the lead in the team standings to McLaren as early as this weekend.
- Team Principal Christian Horner also emphasizes: "We have to turn things around very quickly."
Max Verstappen has had more fun at work in the past. The recent series of defeats, the astonishing form crisis of his Red Bull team and the melting lead in the world championship have left their mark on the Formula 1 world champion. "I have my own problems," the 26-year-old replied sullenly before the Grand Prix in Baku to questions about the team order at McLaren, which should still help his rival Lando Norris to the drivers' title in the final sprint.
What Verstappen means: Before he can worry about the competition again, Red Bull must first solve its own problems. "We're in the middle of work and it's not like we can turn it around from one weekend to the next," said the Dutchman. Verstappen has been waiting for a win for six races, having finished seven of the first ten races of the season in first place.
At the most recent low point with sixth place in Monza, the triple champion described his company car as an undriveable "monster". "We have to turn things around very quickly," warned team boss Christian Horner. Although there was a slight upward trend in the first practice laps in Azerbaijan, Verstappen was only able to finish sixth in the daily standings. The fastest was Monza winner Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
Team boss speaks of vicious circle
Boss Horner admitted that the engineers had constantly come across new design flaws in the further development of the former wonder car. "By solving one problem, you create another - and then you get into a vicious circle," said the Briton.
Red Bull could lose the lead in the team standings to McLaren as early as the race on Sunday (13:00). The stumbling industry leader only has an eight-point lead heading to the street circuit on the Caspian Sea. "I hope we can move in the right direction from now on. But I don't know how long that will take," said Verstappen about the laborious troubleshooting at Red Bull.
His cushion on Norris in the title race is still 62 points. Nevertheless, Verstappen described winning both championships for Red Bull as unrealistic in view of the hardships. In view of the new balance of power, McLaren has also decided, after some hesitation, to back Norris fully with a stable order. "They will proceed as they see fit. I have no influence on that," growled Verstappen in Baku.
Aston Martin lures Verstappen
The defending champion has a lot on his mind at the moment. For months, there has been constant unrest surrounding important figures at Red Bull, and a power struggle has been fought, sometimes publicly. Recently, long-time sporting director Jonathan Wheatley left for the future Audi team. Much more painful for Verstappen and Red Bull, however, is the loss of chief developer Adrian Newey, who was introduced as a new shareholder at Aston Martin at the beginning of the week.
"I have always said that I would have liked him to stay. But at a certain point, you can't change that," said Verstappen. The lingering pain of separation could certainly be remedied, says Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack, assuring: "The door is always open for Max Verstappen."
However, Verstappen has no time for such blatant offers of a switch, such as those previously made by Mercedes, in his search for success. "That's something for the future, not for now. What happens in the next few years doesn't really matter right now," assured the championship leader. Verstappen simply has enough to do with the here and now.
