Verstappen and Marko acknowledge that the title race for 2025 has concluded.

      "It was genuinely terrible; it had been like this the entire weekend."

      Max Verstappen and Dr. Helmut Marko have both acknowledged that Red Bull’s title bid for 2025 is effectively over, following a disappointing Hungarian Grand Prix. The four-time world champion finished in ninth place on Sunday, significantly trailing the dominant McLarens. After the race in Hungary, Verstappen now lags behind championship leader Oscar Piastri by an astonishing 97 points.

      When asked by Viaplay’s Chiel van Koldenhoven after the race if he was worried about the stewards looking into a potential penalty for forcing Lewis Hamilton off the track, Verstappen dismissed the concern. "It doesn’t matter anyway, Chiel," he stated. "Whether you finish ninth or score no points, it doesn’t make any difference."

      When questioned about his anticipation for the summer break, Verstappen confirmed, "That’s for sure." He was also asked about the overall competitive issues and what he wanted to say regarding them, to which he responded: "Actually, nothing, to be completely honest. There’s nothing to take from it. It was truly awful, but it had been that way all weekend. In that sense, it wasn’t surprising."

      Marko, who briefly rekindled hopes of a comeback after Christian Horner's recent departure and the introduction of new upgrades, has reverted to his previous stance. "That’s impossible," Marko told Servus TV when asked if Verstappen could still claim a fifth consecutive title. "Absolutely," he reiterated late Sunday in Budapest.

      Reflecting on the race in Hungary, the 82-year-old remarked: "The tyres weren’t performing. However, I believe this issue was unique to this event, and it shouldn’t happen again if our suspicions about the cause are confirmed. I don’t expect this to occur in the races after the summer break."

      Verstappen, however, remained cautious in response to Marko’s comments. "That’s a bit too easy to say," he replied. "We certainly have theories about the source of the issue, but I can’t always discuss that here. If it were solvable, we would have already resolved it."

      Despite this, the Dutch driver is tempering expectations. "I generally stay quite neutral about it," said the 27-year-old. "I don’t want to be overly optimistic or pessimistic. Thankfully, I have still won two races, but it is challenging. You must also recognize that McLaren is performing exceptionally well. Given our issues, this isn’t surprising. I've had great results for four years now. Success comes and goes."

      With a significant regulatory change set for 2026 and Red Bull preparing its own power unit in collaboration with Ford, Verstappen believes most teams will begin to refocus their efforts. "For all the teams, attention will largely shift to 2026. But we need to ensure we’re more consistent so we can still achieve good results now and then," he said.

      Marko shared this view, indicating that the upcoming August break is well-timed. "Yes. It’s truly necessary," said the 81-year-old. "At Red Bull, we still have a few roles to fill. We aim to do this so Laurent Mekies can concentrate fully on racing, while others can manage different activities."