Verstappen is expected to face challenges at the Baku GP.

      "He could once again put a smaller wing on the Red Bull there."

      17 September 2025 - 12:48

      Ralf Schumacher is skeptical about Max Verstappen's chances of contending for the 2025 world championship, despite his pole position and win at Monza. "Yes," he responded to Formel1.de when asked if the Dutchman remains out of contention. Looking ahead to the upcoming race in Baku, Schumacher stated, "He could implement a smaller wing on the Red Bull again. However, I regret to say that Azerbaijan has never really been his track. Sergio Perez has frequently outperformed him there. I think it will be a challenging weekend for him."

      The 50-year-old German sees potential in Red Bull’s direction under new team principal Laurent Mekies, following Christian Horner's departure. "Christian Horner was a true motorsport enthusiast and did a fantastic job," Schumacher commented to Sky Deutschland. "Yet, he is more of a manager and doesn’t grasp these connections as quickly as a dedicated engineer would." In contrast, he believes Mekies possesses strong technical skills and is better equipped to lead in the contemporary F1 landscape. "He’s a remarkable talent, especially in uniting people," said Schumacher. "He doesn’t view himself as crucial — he just wants things to function. It reminds me of Fred Vasseur, who expressed, 'I don’t want to be at Ferrari; I want to win with Ferrari.' That mirrors Mekies’ mindset. He is passionate, and now, of course, he has an excellent opportunity."

      Furthermore, Schumacher views a strong connection between Mekies and Verstappen on an engineering level as essential. "When something is presented to him, he can instantly say, 'Looks good, but we still need to adjust this or that.' He can iterate around it five or maybe even eight times, depending on the structure," he shared.

      In a separate conversation with T-Online, Schumacher remarked that Red Bull's earlier internal issues mean it is already too late for Verstappen to compete in 2025. "I believe Red Bull has spent too much time addressing internal challenges," he stated. "But they have resolved the Horner issue. His successor, Laurent Mekies, represents a new generation of team leaders with a primarily technical background, which I find crucial. I believe it's now exceedingly important for a decision-maker in Formula 1 to have not just a grasp of company policies but also a technical understanding. Only then can a team assemble the right individuals who are well-suited. Merely being a manager is no longer sufficient."