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Formula One
Verstappen ready to ‘pounce’ on McLarens as F1 title race thrown open
Max Verstappen is poised to strike at McLaren’s championship leaders as pressure mounts in the final stages of the F1 season.
Matthew Sullivan
September 25, 2025 – 10:08AM
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Oscar Piastri crashes out on the opening lap
The F1 championship leader has suffered a nightmare in Baku after crashing out on lap one
Max Verstappen is ready to “pounce” on any mistakes from Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as he remains a chance to claim a fifth F1 drivers championship.
The F1 championship battle has been a two-horse race for virtually the entire season, with McLaren teammates Piastri and Norris opening up a clear margin on the rest of the grid.
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But back-to-back victories in Italy and Azerbaijan have closed the gap between Verstappen and championship leader Piastri to 69 points.
There are still plenty of points up for grabs in the remaining seven grand prix (25 points for race win), as well as three sprint races in USA, Brazil and Qatar (eight points for sprint win).
Realistically, Verstappen needs Piastri and Norris to both have a DNF in the final stretch of the season, but he is now within striking distance and firing on all cylinders with a resurgent Red Bull car.
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Max Verstappen is closing in on championship leader Oscar Piastri. Photos; Getty.
Piastri had a disastrous weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, crashing out on the first lap following a false start after earlier missteps in qualifying and practice.
It ended the Aussie’s streak of completing 44 races in a row and was the first sign of a chink in his armour across a campaign virtually free of any mistakes.
The rare DNF allowed Verstappen to make up 25 points on Piastri in one weekend.
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Oscar Piastri crashes out in opening lap
The F1 championship leader has suffered a…
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 show, pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz said Verstappen is primed to make a title charge if the McLarens make mistakes at circuits in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi where Verstappen has traditionally dominated.
“He knows he’s back in it because he’s got the car, that’s the thing,” Kravitz said.
“Had he had the car all along, his plan and Red Bull’s plan was always to stay within touching distance of the two McLarens and then wait until precisely this moment in the season when the pressure is on, crazy races, unusual tracks like Baku, like Singapore, like Qatar, like Austin, like Las Vegas.
At this rate I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Verstappen makes it five drivers championships in a row. Next level.— Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) September 21, 2025
“And then pounce like the lion he is on the two championship-wise kittens, who haven’t actually been in contention for a world championship at the sharp end of a season, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
“And it was only the car that dissuaded him, or disappointingly for Max, that he wasn’t going to be able to do that.”
Max is back in the hunt after two wins in a row. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP)
Red Bull’s car has found pace since the midseason break and Verstappen is poised to play spoiler to the two McLaren drivers who are aiming to win their first world drivers championship.
“Now he’s got the car again, then I think he can go back to plan A for the season, which was, ‘Let’s just keep within touching distance of McLaren, and then let’s wait until it’s squeaky time at the end of the season, and then we’ll show them what pressure means going into the end of the year’,” Kravitz said.
Season Standings
M. Verstappen
L. Hamilton
K. Antonelli
N. Hulkenberg
Sky F1 pundit and W series champion Jamie Chadwick said: “It’s interesting now, the title fight, because it’s a lot of points. It’s 69 points away, I think there’s just under 200 (points) left, so it’s a big, big ask, but I would never rule him out.
“And also, he’s not ruling himself out. He kind of smiled about it at the weekend and said, ‘it’s a lot of points, but never say never’.
“And I like that. I think he’s got this sort of spring in his step again. I think there was a lull in his atmosphere and vibe earlier in the year and now it’s game time again. He’s got that kind of spring in his step and he wants to go after it.”
Verstappen’s maiden title in 2021 was as dramatic as they come as he headed to the season finale at Abu Dhabi on the exact same amount of points as Lewis Hamilton.
He then claimed his 2022 and 2023 titles in a canter, before being made to fight for his fourth championship last year, clinching it with a brilliant driver in the wet in Brazil.
But coming from nearly 100 points back in the standings to win a fifth consecutive world title would cement him as one of the greatest drivers of all time.
Oscar Piastri had a weekend to forget in Azerbaijan. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Piastri, who was spotted strolling through the streets of Baku after crashing out, said he wasn’t focused on Verstappen but wasn’t ruling him out of contention.
“I’m not going to rule him out, but I’m honestly not too concerned with that,” he said after the race.
“I’m just trying to bounce back from this weekend and put in the best performances that I can.
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Fans in shock horror as Piastri photo emerges
“I know that if I get back to where I know I can be, then I’ll be more than OK, so that’s what I’m going to focus on.”
Piastri will be hoping to bounce back at the Singapore Grand Prix — the one race on the calendar Verstappen has not won yet.
The F1 season continues at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday October 5.
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