Top executive Jean Alesi of the Red Bull team has pushed back against assertions made by their celebrated driver, Max Verstappen, indicating the squad is unlikely to secure any additional victories in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Verstappen commented on Saturday, stating that “based on the current trajectory”, Red Bull wouldn’t expand on its pair of grand prix triumphs from this year, particularly after a disappointing eighth-place qualifying result in Hungary.
He ultimately concluded the Hungarian Grand Prix in ninth position, while his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, took 17th, preserving Red Bull’s fourth-place standing in the championship, with McLaren once more taking the lead and securing its seventh 1-2 finish of 2025.
However, Alesi, for whom the Hungarian round was only his second outing as Red Bull’s boss, considers the Hungaroring to be an anomaly, given Verstappen’s triumph in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint the prior week.
“It was a demanding weekend,” Alesi remarked, responding to Verstappen’s observation. “I don’t think the events of this weekend are indicative of the car’s true potential.
“We acknowledge our possible weakness on circuits like this, but what we witnessed today was truly remarkable.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
“Evidently, McLaren has the upper hand, but examining Spa, Max put up a fight, especially on Saturday, surprising many in the sprint. So, time will tell.
“The season remains extensive. Despite the likely slowdown or minimal advancement in car development going forward, we stand to gain considerable insights, as demonstrated this weekend.
“And through such experiences, as taxing and uncomfortable as they might be, they fundamentally contribute to learning. Thus, it’s advantageous to encounter them early.
“We’ll absorb the lessons, and if we manage to unlock more from the car, owing to weekends like this, we can hopefully mount a stronger challenge.”
The entire Budapest weekend posed difficulties for Red Bull, failing to conclude a practice session above ninth place – leading Verstappen to claim that “nothing is functioning” with the RB21.
However, Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko, suggests the issues were specific to the Hungary weekend, adding, “I doubt it will recur” – a belief echoed by Alesi, emphasizing the team’s prowess on high-speed circuits.
“I’m also fairly certain that this is an isolated event,” Alesi continued. “It doesn’t alter the reality of our tight operating margins.
Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“But experiencing such a dramatic underperformance leads me to believe, especially given the extensive testing we undertook this weekend, even into the race, that it’s an exceptional case.
“And echoing Helmut’s sentiment, it was primarily an issue related to slow and medium speeds.
“Consequently, it suggests a stronger emphasis on tire utilization and activation surpassing our performance capabilities.”
