Juan Pablo Montoya flags a Max Verstappen flaw that could hinder his 2025 title bid

The Dutchman has moved ahead of Piastri in the standings and is now just 12 points behind Lando Norris heading into the final race. The title will be decided between those three at Yas Marina.

Verstappen secured his first title against Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi in 2021, a championship decider that is still remembered for the controversial decisions made by Michael Masi.

Back then, Sergio Perez played a key role for Red Bull by holding up Hamilton during that race, giving Verstappen a chance to close the gap. This year, as Juan Pablo Montoya points out, Verstappen does not have that same kind of support.

This season has not been easy for Yuki Tsunoda. He has had trouble adapting to the RB21 and has only managed 30 points since joining Red Bull at Suzuka. Montoya thinks that could end up being a factor against Verstappen this weekend.

Speaking on F1 TV after the Qatar Grand Prix, Montoya said: “Something I would say that is a weakness at Red Bull is a single car.

He added: “And at this point, Max would really need, when they went against Lewis and they had Checo and Checo played a huge part of that championship, they don’t have that today and I think that might hurt them.”

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Laurent Mekies was not shy about pointing out McLaren’s strategic errors after Qatar, and with Red Bull carrying momentum into Abu Dhabi, Verstappen is in a strong position.

Verstappen has managed to put McLaren under pressure, and the team have not responded well. Recent mistakes have opened the door for his comeback, turning what once looked like an unreachable gap into a real title chance.

Martin Brundle highlighted Verstappen’s approach in Qatar, noting how he played down the title talk. Whether genuine or not, it adds another layer of pressure on McLaren as the final race approaches.

Team orders will not be in play for McLaren at Yas Marina, which could work against them. Red Bull can focus fully on Verstappen’s race, while McLaren will need to manage both Norris and Piastri equally.