F1 champion Max Verstappen admits Red Bull have 'no pace' ahead of Mexico Grand Prix

Max Verstappen's resurgence in the fight for the 2025 Formula 1 drivers' championship took a blow in Mexico City on Thursday.

The reigning F1 champion could only qualify fifth at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday, three places ahead of current championship leader Oscar Piastri but four behind pole-sitter and other rival Lando Norris.

Perhaps most concerningly, Verstappen was almost five tenths shy of Norris' pole-winning time.

READ MORE: F1 2025 Standings: How far is Verstappen behind Piastri and Norris after US Grand Prix?

Verstappen facing tough Sunday in Mexico

Verstappen heads into Sunday's race 40 points adrift of Piastri and 26 points shy of Norris, but ahead of the action, has admitted that he has 'no pace' in his Red Bull car and that he will need cars in front of him to retire if he is to finish any higher than where he is starting.

“We’ve tried so many things and it’s not been good. It’s not the lack of trying, it’s not finding it," Verstappen admitted to Sky Sports after qualifying.

“I knew from the first run of Q1 that was not going to be it. Basically, everything we tried didn’t really work.

“There isn’t really a recovery drive when you have no pace. I need people to retire in front of me to go ahead.

“Every lap that I did this weekend has not been good. In the short run or the long run it never felt in the window and that is not going to suddenly change tomorrow for the better.”

READ MORE: Red Bull star avoids serious punishment after technical issue at Mexico Grand Prix

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