Max Verstappen doesn’t believe Red Bull can consistently challenge for victories after a surprise win at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.
Verstappen stunned the F1 paddock by taking pole position at Suzuka on Saturday and held both McLarens at bay over a race distance to win his fourth successive Japanese GP victory.
Wide consensus picked either McLaren to take pole or at least overcome Verstappen in the race, but the Dutchman dug deep and used his immense talent to wring everything out of the RB21 in Japan.
“The whole race, I saw two orange cars in my mirror,” he said.
“And yeah, especially those last 20 laps, we were pushing quite hard out there and you could just feel the tyres were degrading more and more. But you had to keep on fighting it. Basically, being on the limit.
“It was better than expected, to be honest, my race pace.
“We really maximised the weekend and I’m very proud of everyone.”
Verstappen’s victory puts him just one point behind Lando Norris, who finished second in Japan, in the Drivers’ standings.
Despite this, Verstappen felt his victory was due to him and Red Bull operating at their best and doesn’t think it’s a feat that c an be replicated consistently.
“I don’t think so,” was the Dutchman’s response to whether Red Bull can challenge for wins every weekend.
“But honestly, like I said, today we take it. It was very hard to pass around here.
“Bahrain, completely different track. Very tough on tyres. Tyres overheating as well.
“We still have work to do. But it does show that if we really nail everything, we can be up there.”
Red Bull and Verstappen admit work is needed to clinch more wins
Still, Verstappen always wants more and noted, “from our side, we want to be better than just sometimes being up there.
“So we just keep working hard and see where we can be in Bahrain already.
“Hopefully, we keep on improving the car with the through corner balance and then hopefully it unlocks also just in general a bit more pace.”
Team Principal Christian Horner told select media, including Motorsport Week, that Red Bull “turned the car upside down set-up wise” in Japan, acknowledging there’s “plenty of work to do but huge motivation moving forward.”
In response, Verstappen said, “I think we know our limitations, so we just have to try and run against that limitation as much as we can.
“But yeah, it’s still not fixed,” he added.
“So this is hopefully going to be fixed soon, but I cannot give you a timeline on that.
“It’s just about trying to find that limit, which is really sensitive for us at the moment.”
One point behind Norris, in a car that shouldn’t be capable of winning races, does that mean Verstappen is in the title fight?
“I don’t know,” Verstappen said.
“I mean, there’s still… I mean, it’s a very long season. A lot of things can happen, right?
“I think what is important is that you always try to maximise your performances.
“That’s the only thing that you can control.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen keeps McLaren at bay to win F1 Japanese GP
… as of Japan, 2025, only one team can put its two cars, consistently, into F1’s top 5. Shipwrecked in fundamentals, evolutionary engineering problem sprouted like stinkweed, at Red Bull. Crux of the dilemma, management decision made, Imola of 2024, Red Bull people took an abrupt left turn, evolving their endeavor up the wrong branch of their decision tree, engineering their vehicle’s mechanical underwear, over-optimized to fit one driver to such extent, no other driver they put, into their second entry, fits. The Red Bull people can make — a fast car, for just one driver. Management directive tracing its roots, all the way back to Imola, 2024, the Red Bull people can’t make two –