Never mind retaining the World title, Max Verstappen will not even be runner-up as Red Bull shift lanes to F1 2026 and therefore can’t focus on the big performance gains needed to beat McLaren this season.

McLaren 1-2 with Max Verstappen P3 at best?

Put to him that McLaren will finish 1-2 in the Drivers’ standings, Steiner emphatically told The Red Flags podcast: “Yes.”

When pressed by Motorsport.com on whether he meant he didn’t see himself competing for the actual title, he replied: “No, I don’t.”