"That's nearly three race victories."

      22 September 2025 - 09:08

      Max Verstappen states he is not depending on "hope" as he fights to reclaim his position in the hunt for a fifth consecutive world championship. Following his pole position and win at Monza, the Red Bull driver repeated this success in Baku, reducing his gap to Lando Norris from 88 to just 44 points over the past three race weekends. Currently, Verstappen is 69 points behind the championship leader, as Oscar Piastri experienced an unusually error-filled weekend.

      "That’s almost three race wins," he remarked. "That’s quite a bit, but we’ll just put in our best effort and see where we end up. I mean, I don’t depend on hope," the four-time world champion stated.

      The post-Horner resurgence for Red Bull has made Verstappen look like the dominant force of 2023 again, with the television broadcast largely overlooking him. "That’s a good sign," he chuckled to Viaplay. However, the 27-year-old cautioned that the real challenge is still to come. "These were two low-downforce circuits, so we’ll have to wait and see what Singapore is like. That’s a completely different track, with much more tire overheating."

      Oscar Piastri, on the other hand, asserted that he will not discount his rival from the fight. "I’m definitely not going to," the Australian affirmed. "But if I can reach a high level again, then I know I should be in a good position." He acknowledged that Verstappen’s involvement could shift the dynamics in his team title contest with Norris. "If Max is between me and Lando, then it’s only advantageous if I’m ahead of Lando," Piastri explained. "If I’m behind Max, it’s actually a disadvantage."

      Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko remains cautiously optimistic about the suddenly rejuvenated possibility of Verstappen securing a fifth title. "Singapore is the only race Max hasn’t won," he noted. "Let’s see how it goes there. If we win there, I’ll think about it too."

      McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has asserted twice in two days that Verstappen is still a contender. "In terms of the drivers’ championship, we now have an intriguing battle for the remainder of the season," he stated. Marko responded, "That’s just negativity. Not only does Singapore require high downforce, but it’s also extremely hot, and those conditions aren’t favorable for our car. So Singapore will be a benchmark for evaluating our true capabilities."