Is the Reigning King’s Formula One Crown Slipping Away?
This season has taken a surprising turn for reigning champion Max Verstappen. Instead of cruising to another title, he’s struggling to keep pace, thanks to a tricky RB21 and crazy McLaren performance. At today’s Austrian Grand Prix, McLaren stormed the field with a dominant 1-2, their second car finishing nearly 20 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in P3. Meanwhile, Verstappen suffered an early DNF after a first-lap crash with Kimi Antonelli. Now he sits 46 points behind Lando Norris and a massive 61 behind Oscar Piastri—and even George Russell is closing in. Verstappen’s RB21 has been a real handful this year. He’s called it “too slow” and acknowledged “clear issues” like overheating brakes and poor balance. He’s joked that driving it can “poop your pants,” a dramatic way to say it’s unpredictable. One Red Bull test driver even compared their sister Racing Bull’s car as “easier to drive.” The real kicker? McLaren’s MCL38 is smooth, stable, and rarely surprises its drivers. The contrast couldn’t be clearer: Verstappen is fighting his car, while Norris and Piastri look like they’re driving on rails.
At the Austrian Grand Prix, the problems spilled into Verstappen’s results. His qualifying session ended early due to a double yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly in the last corner, causing him to start only seventh. Then, Kimi Antonelli dived into him in turn three on lap one, ending Verstappen’s race right there. That zero point haunts his championship. Meanwhile, Norris and Piastri finished an easy 1-2, boosting McLaren’s advantage and burying Verstappen further in the standings. Now Russell sits just nine points behind Verstappen for P3, making Red Bull’s situation even more tense. The points gap tells a stark story. Verstappen is sitting on 155, while Norris is in the McLaren with 201, and Piastri sits at 216. This isn’t a minor setback; it’s a full-scale crisis. Even with his talent, Verstappen is struggling to rescue the season from a car that lacks consistency. Every weekend feels like a gamble on setup and conditions. As Mercedes’ Toto Wolff hints at poaching Verstappen if Red Bull flounders further, it underlines the fragility of his current position.
Right now, Verstappen’s title chances feel like slipping sand. With McLaren in top form, Russell and even Leclerc breathing down his neck, and his car still a wild stallion, another championship seems very unlikely. It’s not just one DNF, it’s nine more races where McLaren looks sharper and Verstappen more cautious. He needs a stretch of stability and big upgrades fast—or else this defending campaign might drift away entirely. The RB21 must first be tamed; otherwise, Verstappen’s dream of a fifth world title could fade before it truly begins.
