Max Verstappen's Red Bull triumph triggers major pivot against F1 rivals

Max Verstappen is F1's new underdog.

Yep, I said it, in a sport that once claimed 'Max Verstappen dominance could bore F1 fans' (and oh boy it really did) McLaren have now cemented their spot as the top dogs in the paddock, but they couldn't have done it in a more different way to the energy drink giants.

Cast your minds back to 2023 and you'll probably think of one thing and one thing only, the Dutch national anthem.

Red Bull may have dominated the season claiming every grand prix victory apart from the Singapore GP (all rise for Carlos Sainz) but Verstappen asserted himself as the driving force behind the squad's success with 19 of those race wins down to the 27-year-old.

There was never a case of 'who will Red Bull back as their champion' like we see with McLaren today. The Dutchman obliterated any type of rivalry with team-mate Sergio Perez, who didn't even accumulate half of Verstappen's 2023 total points tally, with Verstappen instead delivering a clear statement that he was the No 1 driver.

Verstappen's Spa sprint shows hope for near-impossible title feat

Those days feel distant compared to 2025 however, where Verstappen has just gone three races in a row without a podium for the first time since 2019.

He may have triumphed in the sprint race at Spa last weekend but even that wasn't enough to boost his P3 position in the standings, especially after finishing a lowly P4 in Sunday's main event.

In Spa, Oscar Piastri extended his lead over papaya team-mate Lando Norris, who once again threw away an opportunity to gain vital ground in the hunt for his maiden title.

McLaren may have given fans a fight over who will become the 35th name to join the championship history books, but quite frankly it's boring and in many years will likely be a forgettable season compared to the generational display Verstappen proved he was capable of doing in 2023.

If you had told any self respecting F1 fan two seasons ago that they would be cheering for Verstappen against McLaren they would have laughed in your face, but when the four-time champion overtook Piastri's MCL39 at Les Combes in Saturday's sprint, it not only reminded me of his talent but had me hoping that a record-equalling fifth consecutive title win this season was still within reach.

It's been six years since Verstappen last went this long without a grand prix podium. When's he getting back on it? 🥇 🥈 🥉 pic.twitter.com/htt7UbgFWk

— GPFans Global (@GPFansGlobal) July 30, 2025

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