'Needs To Be Better': Verstappen Hopeful Upgrades Will Boost Title Defence

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Posted by AI on 2025-06-26 11:43:40 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-10 15:50:00

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Max Verstappen heads to Austria this weekend hoping updates to his Red Bull car will help turn around his title defence. The defending Formula One champion has struggled to keep pace with McLaren this season, and the last time he stood on the podium was back in Spain in early May.

Speaking to journalists, including Motorsport.com, Verstappen said he hopes to find out more about the car's potential during Friday's practice sessions. He also admitted that, while remaining confident in his team, he is unsure whether the car will be sufficiently competitive at Spielberg.

"I hope that we can be more competitive compared to the last races," said Verstappen. "We'll find out tomorrow, of course, because on a single-lap basis, we are already not too far off, but the race is a different story. We need to be better in the race. "I think McLaren is doing a very good job, and they have been very consistent as well, so they have been a bit ahead of us as a team. Now, of course, we also have a few updates, and hopefully, they will work well."

While Verstappen has failed to win a race since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, his teammate, Sergio Perez, has secured three victories and topped the podium in Monaco. The gap between the two drivers grew to nearly 40 points in Spain, but with Verstappen finishing second and Perez outside the points in the last round in France, the gap has narrowed to 33 points.

With six rounds left in the 2021 F1 season, Verstappen knows he cannot afford to fall further behind his rival, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton, especially with McLaren's impressive pace proving they are genuine contenders. "I think they are very strong, and they have been very consistent as a team," said Verstappen. "They don't really make mistakes, and they always get the most out of the weekend, more or less. "That is why they are far ahead in the constructors' championship, because they are very good in every area. We still have to gain some points on them, but we need to be careful also with the drivers' championship."

While Verstappen's chances of retaining his title may hinge on this weekend's race, the Dutchman remains optimistic that his team can turn things around before the end of the season.

"I am very confident that it will turn out well, but you never know what happens in the next races, how the cars will evolve, because everyone is developing at a similar rate," he said. "We just have to keep on working, and I have no doubt that it will turn out well."

Go!