F1 Shakeup: McLaren Leads as Verstappen Eyes Improvement

Verstappen Concedes: McLaren F1 Dominates Current Season

30/07/2024

Verstappen admits McLaren’s dominance as F1 takes a break, signaling a shift in the racing landscape.

Max Verstappen believes McLaren F1 is now the benchmark on the Formula 1 starting grid. The Dutch driver has not won in four races, a first since 2020, and acknowledges that Red Bull needs to put in some work.

“I think if you look at the last five or six races, they have certainly been the best,” stated Verstappen. “I mean, it’s very clear. And that’s fine. That’s fine. I think they’ve done a good job.”

“From our side, yes, we have a bit of work to do, a few elements to analyse during the break. From the first race up to now, what we’ve done. And then, yes, try to fight back from Zandvoort, see if we can improve the situation, try to turn it around, try to be more competitive.

“I think the battle is still quite tight. So, you know, when you make small mistakes, it can really swing very quickly. We need to try to use that to our advantage, because it’s very tough right now. But we shall see.”

“There are so many races left and so many things that can happen. You can have the best preparation possible for every weekend, but even then, things can catch you off guard. So you need to stay focused, calm, and try to improve.”

Sergio Pérez also confirms that McLaren has a better car, and he thinks that Red Bull needs to get their RB20 back in a good window: “I think it has been the best car, let’s say, over the last five races or so, on various types of circuits.”

“They have been strong in race pace, and I think the break comes at a good time for Red Bull because we have a lot to analyse about our season. The directions we have taken and, hopefully, a bit more balance for the second half of the season.”

“More than any other improvement, I think getting the balance right in the window will be the key focus and the main objective to see what we have done. The improvements we have made will allow us to see exactly where we stand, as I feel we have been a bit lost recently.”

F1 Shakeup: McLaren Leads as Verstappen Eyes Improvement

F1 Shakeup: McLaren Leads as Verstappen Eyes Improvement F1 Shakeup: McLaren Leads as Verstappen Eyes Improvement

F1 Standings 2025
F1 Standings 2025
#
Driver
Points
1
Driver Flag
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
0
2
Driver Flag
Lando Norris
McLaren
0
3
Driver Flag
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
0
4
Driver Flag
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
0
5
Driver Flag
Carlos Sainz
Williams
0
6
Driver Flag
George Russell
Mercedes
0
#
Team
Points
1
McLaren
Norris & Piastri
0
2
Ferrari
Leclerc & Hamilton
0
3
Red Bull
Verstappen & Lawson
0
4
Mercedes
Russell & Antonelli
0
5
Aston Martin
Alonso & Stroll
0
6
Alpine
Gasly & Doohan
0
F1 Calendar 2025
F1 CALENDAR 2025
Race Date
Australia Flag
Australian
Albert Park
16 Mar
China Flag
Chinese
Shanghai International
23 Mar
Japan Flag
Japanese
Suzuka Circuit
6 Apr
Bahrain Flag
Bahrain
Bahrain International
13 Apr
Saudi Arabia Flag
Saudi Arabian
Jeddah Street
20 Apr
FULL CALENDAR
Race Center

Race Center

Australian flag
Australian GP
13 Mar - 16 Mar
Your time Local time
FP1 13 MAR 15:30
FP2 13 MAR 19:00
FP3 14 MAR 15:30
QU 14 MAR 19:00
RACE 15 MAR 18:00
Go toTop