Red Bull’s RB21 upgrade at Imola may decide the 2025 F1 title fight, and Max Verstappen’s next move in Formula 1.
The upcoming upgrades to the RB21 at Imola could shape not just Red Bull’s season, but the future of Max Verstappen with the team.
Franz Tost, former Toro Rosso boss and current Red Bull advisor, didn’t mince words: if Imola doesn’t deliver big improvements, the championship might already be out of reach.
Despite this, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner played down the importance of the update during the Miami Grand Prix. Responding to ongoing speculation, fueled in part by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, he insisted: “There’s no major upgrade for Imola. I don’t know where that’s coming from.”
But Tost, firmly aligned with the Austrian leadership at Red Bull, sees things differently. “It needs to be spot on,” he said. “That goes for Ferrari and Mercedes too. Otherwise, this championship is over, and McLaren will dominate the rest of the year. Even a driver like Max Verstappen won’t be able to change that.”
Horner, meanwhile, is more focused on Barcelona, where he expects the FIA to crack down on McLaren’s flexible front wings. “That’s where things might really shift. Who knows what the effect will be across the grid?”
Miami, however, delivered a harsh reality check for Red Bull. Even with a brand-new floor on Verstappen’s car, McLaren had a massive edge, up to seven-tenths of a second per lap on long runs.
“Our tires are still overheating,” Verstappen said when asked about the new floor. “The car’s still not helping me. The balance isn’t there.”
Marko echoed his frustration: “We expected more. But it wasn’t enough. Lando Norris showed just how fast the McLaren is. They were between seven-tenths and a full second quicker. That’s hard to accept.”
What happens after Imola could trigger a chain reaction. Rumors are swirling about Horner’s future, whispers likely coming from the Austrian side of Red Bull. But the bigger question is Verstappen.
According to insiders, including Marko, the Dutch star could activate a break clause in his contract as early as the summer break. As of now, he’s not even in the top two of the drivers’ standings.
Marko admitted in private during the Miami weekend that Verstappen’s departure is a real possibility, though he claimed to be “less worried than before.” That was before the race. And before Imola.
“We have to hope Pierre Waché and the technical team have found enough answers to give Max a car he can fight with,” Marko said. “If not, there could be serious consequences.”
When asked to clarify, the Austrian offered just two words: “No comment.”
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