Max Verstappen is determined to extend his late-season momentum as he attempts to close the gap on McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the 2025 Formula 1 championship. With two months of disappointing results behind him, Verstappen’s back-to-back wins in Monza and Baku have reignited his championship hopes, though the Dutchman remains pragmatic.
At one point, Verstappen appeared to be out of the title hunt, with McLaren dominating the season. However, his resurgence has seen him cut the deficit to Piastri to 69 points and Norris to 44 points with seven races and three sprints left. Despite the strong comeback, Verstappen is not fixated on the title. Instead, he sees it as a race-by-race pursuit, acknowledging that McLaren’s dominance this season is unlikely to change quickly.
The upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, set to take place at the challenging Marina Bay Circuit, presents a unique challenge for Red Bull. Verstappen admitted that the high downforce required at the tropical track may not suit his car, which typically performs better on low-downforce layouts like those in Monza and Baku. The steamy weather, coupled with extreme humidity, adds to the difficulty of the circuit.
However, Verstappen is approaching the race with a relaxed mindset, stating that he has “nothing to lose” in his pursuit of victory. “If we win, it’s great. If we don’t, we don’t. I’m just not too stressed about anything,” he said. The Red Bull driver is determined to be competitive on tracks that don’t necessarily favor his car, hoping for the best results, regardless of the outcome.
For Verstappen to have a realistic shot at the title, he would need to win most of the remaining races while hoping McLaren falters. Though he knows it will be a tough task, the Baku Grand Prix showed that Piastri is not invincible, and anything can happen as the season draws to a close.
Verstappen’s main focus remains doing the best he can at each race, and while the championship remains a distant goal, he is optimistic about further victories in the final stretch of the season.
