Since the advent of the ground-effect regulations, Max Verstappen has dominated the sport with three-consecutive world titles. Last year, despite not having the best machinery under him, he showcased how he made the difference on the day it mattered.
Naturally, the 27-year-old is being touted as the best driver on the current grid.
On the F1 Nation podcast, host Tom Clarkson put this question to former F1 driver, Romain Grosjean. “That’s a tough question, isn’t it,” began the Frenchman.
Grosjean went on to label the Dutchman as one of the best ever — but he added the caveat of having the best car to showcase those skills.
“I think saying [who] is the best is difficult because you’re only the best if you are with the best car. But he’s definitely an incredible driver, no matter what car [he] is driving,” he added.
The second half of last season, though, perfectly encompasses how the reigning world champion was still the best driver on the grid, as he beat Lando Norris — the driver with the fastest car on the grid — with a sub-par car underneath him.
Despite winning only two races in the last 14 rounds, just one less than Norris’ three in the same period, the 27-year-old held on to his championship lead and won it with two races to spare. That speaks volumes of his caliber, which doesn’t need the best car all the time.
However, the way Red Bull’s performance has deteriorated, even Verstappen‘s brilliance may fall short this season and put his ‘best on the grid’ moniker in jeopardy.
In 2024, the Milton Keynes-based team experienced some major issues whilst developing the RB20. This meant that the team fell down the pecking order as the season progressed, finishing third in the Constructors’ standings eventually. Heading into the 2025 campaign with the RB21, they have decided to retain the design concepts of last year’s car.
Will Verstappen’s dominance end in 2025?
Going into pre-season testing in the last week of February, all eyes were on Red Bull. The biggest question that remained to be answered was whether the Austrian team were able to eliminate the handling issues on their car.
But even after testing concluded at the Sakhir International Circuit, those questions remained unanswered. The RB21 did not seem like a car that was giving the Dutchman confidence to push on track.
Verstappen even leveled out expectations of competitiveness before the season-opening Australian GP, this weekend.
“I don’t think we can compete for the win in Melbourne. If you look at the lap times, I think McLaren is the favorite. Not everything went completely smoothly for us,” he explained after the test in Bahrain.
Despite the glaring concerns on the RB21 in terms of competitiveness, Verstappen has often showcased how he can eke out that extra bit of performance from the car. So, going into the 2025 season, the Bulls might be punching above their weight with the Dutchman which could make all the difference at the end of the day.
