Max Verstappen counting on Lewis Hamilton’s help in championship battle against McLaren drivers. Max Verstappen hopes Ferrari and Mercedes can challenge McLaren.

Max Verstappen relies on Ferrari and Mercedes to shake up McLaren’s F1 title chase

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is looking to capitalize on competitive performances from both Ferrari and Mercedes as he continues his pursuit of McLaren in the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ championship. Following a challenging weekend in Mexico City, Max Verstappen trails championship leader Lando Norris by 36 points and sits just 35 points behind teammate Oscar Piastri, with 116 points still up for grabs across the final four rounds of the season.

Since the Italian Grand Prix, the Dutch driver has clawed back nearly 70 points on Oscar Piastri and cut his deficit to Lando Norris in half, keeping alive his ambitions of denying McLaren a first drivers’ title since 2008 while seeking a fifth consecutive championship for himself. The Red Bull driver acknowledges that in order to achieve this, he must not only rely on his own pace but also hope that rival teams, particularly Ferrari and Mercedes, can challenge the McLarens on track and potentially disrupt their momentum.

Recent races have demonstrated that both Mercedes and Ferrari have been capable of podium finishes ahead of one or both McLaren drivers. Max Verstappen sees these results as crucial opportunities, as any time lost by McLaren could provide him with the points he needs to continue closing the gap. However, he also recognizes that Lewis Hamilton has yet to score a podium for Ferrari this season, which limits the potential impact Ferrari can have in the title battle at present.

Max Verstappen assessed the situation by highlighting the straightforward yet challenging reality of the championship fight: he needs rival teams to perform well while simultaneously outperforming McLaren. He emphasized that optimizing every weekend and maximizing opportunities on track are key to mounting a successful comeback in the standings.

The Dutchman noted that although the 36-point deficit may seem manageable in theory, the 2025 season’s unique dynamics have made the challenge considerably more complex. He suggested that while prior seasons might have allowed him to feel confident in such a gap with four races remaining, the current campaign requires consistent top performances combined with a measure of racing luck.

The Dutch driver underlined the importance of strategy, preparation, and flawless execution over the final rounds, ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. He stressed that Red Bull must create a points buffer each weekend and capitalize on any mistakes from the McLarens, while also acknowledging that the margin for error is minimal. Max Verstappen concluded that even if the odds are stacked against him, taking calculated risks and maximizing points opportunities is essential, noting that the worst-case scenario would be a third-place finish in the championship, while the best case remains winning the title.

With four critical races remaining, Max Verstappen’s focus is clear: extract every possible advantage from Red Bull’s car, leverage any inconsistencies from McLaren, and rely on competitive performances from the Maranello team and Mercedes to keep his championship hopes alive in a tightly contested 2025 Formula 1 season.