Verstappen states that even victories are not achievable at this point in 2025.

      "The car felt terrible all weekend."

      Max Verstappen has stated that he no longer anticipates winning another race in 2025, as Red Bull's decline in performance continues, and the current quadruple world champion falls further out of the title race. “No, not like this. Absolutely not,” Verstappen expressed to ServusTV after qualifying in eighth place in Hungary, behind both Aston Martins and even a Sauber. "The car felt terrible all weekend," he commented. "We tried many different things, but nothing worked, and that’s obviously a significant issue. I can get frustrated, but that won’t make the car any quicker."

      He also dismissed the idea of taking significant risks during Sunday’s race. "It doesn’t make sense. I’ll be starting eighth, which doesn’t help much. I don’t want to jeopardize any damage."

      Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko described Verstappen's Q3 performance as a "fantastic job" given the circumstances. "Amazingly, we were quicker on used tires than on new ones. That indicates something is wrong."

      Despite the possibility of rain, Marko was cautious: "I’m not very optimistic. But this track is always prone to surprises." Verstappen has been asserting for weeks that the championship is unattainable, but in Hungary, he went further, suggesting that additional victories might be unlikely. This came after he recently denied exit rumors publicly. "It’s especially frustrating for the team," he told Viaplay. "Because there’s often just a nonsensical story behind it. And ultimately, nothing happened."

      The title battle now looks to be a direct competition between McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Marko shared with Sport1: "Piastri has the nerve and is more consistent. Norris may have a faster lap time, but I view Piastri ahead overall."

      Meanwhile, McLaren CEO Zak Brown commented on Verstappen’s legacy. "His race in Brazil last year was legendary," Brown told De Telegraaf. "It reminded me of Ayrton Senna, especially since it took place in Brazil." "Max is an unyielding competitor who shows no mercy," he added. "What he has achieved is highly impressive, and he rightfully belongs among the greatest drivers of all time."