Following a controversial year at its Milton Keynes HQ, Max Verstappen is hoping for an altogether less dramatic 2025.
Though he lacked the necessary support from his teammate, not to mention a car that ultimately proved no match for the McLaren or Ferrari, there is no doubt that the Horner-saga impacted Verstappen’s season also.
Even before a wheel had turned in anger, the world championship winning team was making headlines in the mainstream media as team boss Christian Horner stood accused of inappropriate behaviour.
Rather than worrying about increasing convergence, the Austrian team was under pressure from a media sensing a new salacious side to the sport. While the mainstream media concentrated on the personal side of the drama, given more impetus due to the fact that Horner is married to a former Spice Girl, and the complainant said to be related to a member of a world famous rock band, the motorsport media focussed on talk of upheaval within the team, which at times, according to the reports, looked like imploding.
While Horner was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, the damage had been done. Though talk of Helmut Marko being fired, and Max following him out of the door, proved wide of the mark, there were a number of high profile departures, not least design guru Adrian Newey.
Somehow, the team kept it together, and though it failed to hold off McLaren and Ferrari, it did see Verstappen to his fourth successive title.
Understandably, the Dutchman is hoping for a little less off-track drama this year.
“Last year has been challenging at times,” said the Dutchman, in a masterpiece of understatement, according to ESPN. “Of course, we had a lot of good moments,” he added, “of course, also some tough moments, and I hope that we can be, let’s say, a little bit more stable and a little bit more all-round throughout the season.”
Among the departures was Perez, leaving the Dutchman with a new teammate, Liam Lawson.
“What I’m looking forward to the most is just to see how competitive we are,” he said. “Of course, I have a new teammate in Liam. I’m excited to be working with him as well, and I think the whole team is excited to, yeah, look ahead to this season.”
Asked if he can repeat Michael Schumacher’s feat of five successive titles, he said: “Honestly, my mind-set hasn’t really changed. Of course, winning four titles has been a dream, more than a dream, I would say. I’m relaxed.
“I’m just looking forward, of course, to see how competitive we can be. And from there onwards also, once you realise a bit how competitive you are, you set a bit of a target, but that’s too early to say at the moment.”
