Marko states that Verstappen's title aspirations are now 'finished.'

      "This is a very dark day."

      Max Verstappen’s team leaders have now accepted that winning a fifth drivers’ title in 2025 is essentially unattainable. The Red Bull racer was knocked out during the first lap of the team's home race in Austria by rookie Kimi Antonelli, whom Verstappen has previously expressed admiration for. "These things happen," Verstappen stated, now 61 points behind the championship leader. "Every driver has made mistakes like that. It’s not a big deal for me."

      However, if he considered himself a title contender, his reaction might have been quite different. "I hope to avoid similar questions in the future," Verstappen told a journalist when asked about his championship prospects. For the record, the 18-year-old Antonelli repeatedly apologized to Verstappen. "I get along very well with him," Verstappen replied. "No one does these things intentionally."

      Regarding his championship hopes, Verstappen expressed no interest in whether championship leader Piastri or Lando Norris, his McLaren teammate, won the race. "To be honest," he said, "I was watching the Spa 24 hours."

      Team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko was more somber in his assessment. "This is a very dark day," he remarked about Red Bull’s home race at the Red Bull Ring. "The gap is nearly impossible to close without something extraordinary occurring. We have to accept that the championship is likely over," the 82-year-old admitted.

      Team principal Christian Horner echoed that sentiment. "It seems like a contest between Oscar and Lando," he stated. "The way they battled against each other illustrates how much of a gap they have over the others."

      Piastri also acknowledged his surprise at McLaren’s dominance in Austria. "I’m not dismissing Max just yet," said the Australian, "but our pace this weekend was very strong. If we can keep that up, it will make things easier for us," he told Viaplay.

      An upgrade anticipated at Silverstone this weekend is expected to be the last for Red Bull in 2025. "Probably not," Verstappen responded when asked if it would help close the gap to McLaren. "I don’t want to appear disheartened because I know everyone on the team is giving their all. We can’t do more than try.

      "We typically perform better in the really fast corners," he added when discussing Silverstone, "but McLaren’s speed is just astonishing. I can't claim that we can beat them."