Left behind by McLaren, Verstappen hopes rule change can reignite his title challenge
The 27-year-old Dutchman is 25 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri and 22 behind his McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
A season that begun with warning signs of an upcoming struggle in the driver's championship has been proved correct. It's been a real struggle for Redbull and Max Verstappen in the 2025 Formula 1 season, trailing in the wake of McLaren's undeniable pace.
Some hope, if any, for Verstappen is that this weekend, he returns to the scene of his maiden Formula One victory, chasing his fourth consecutive Spanish success this weekend with his Red Bull team hoping a rule change will end McLaren's supremacy.
The four-time world champion triumphed on his Red Bull debut as a teenager at the Circuit de Catalunya in the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix and will hope another win, his fifth overall in Spain, will propel him into the thick of the title race.
The 27-year-old Dutchman is 25 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri and 22 behind his McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Redbull bosses believe that their rivals will be hampered by the introduction of strict front wing flexibility tests.
"It's a significant change," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner of the requirement for much stiffer front wings, he told the BBC.
"There will be some effect, and, of course, the teams have anticipated this, so it may well be neutral. Or it may affect tyre degradation. It doesn't make life easier," he opined.
Experts believe that McLaren's excellent aerodynamic car, which is designed to enable their drivers manage tyre wear and deliver faster lap times, may be more hit by the tightening up of the rule than others.
However, until a full race is ran, these will remain theories and not certainties.
"We don't know for sure how it will affect them," Horner admitted to the BBC.
Formula One announced the clampdown on so-called 'flexi wings' in January. The change left the teams with time to prepare and may have a dramatic effect on performance and the outcome of the season.
"With 16 races left, there is a long way to go," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff of the changes to the vehicles. McLaren themselves have been quick to downplay the changes and will leave the talking to the track this weekend in Catalunya.
McLaren have won six out of the eight races so far this season. Will there be a change in fortunes now? Exciting times ahead.
