Max Verstappen makes first bold claim about his title chances after sweeping F1 US GP

Max Verstappen made a bold statement regarding the 2025 drivers' championship after the US Grand Prix on Sunday, saying he surely has a chance of winning the title come the end of the season. The Dutchman secured his fifth win of the season, as he continued to put McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri under pressure.

Verstappen drove home from pole position to see the chequered flag first at the US GP on Sunday to move within 40 points of championship leader Oscar Piastri, with five rounds of the season to go. He also closed the gap to Lando Norris to just 26 now, after the Brit's P2 finish in Austin.

Speaking to Martin Brundle after the race, Verstappen said he has a real chance of clinching a fifth world title at the end of the season.

"Yeah, for sure, the chance is there. We just need to try and deliver these weekends till the end. So, yeah, we'll try whatever we can. I'm just very excited till the end," he said.

Only four races ago, Max Verstappen's deficit to Oscar Piastri in the drivers' standings had moved to over 100 points. Since then, the 28-year-old has claimed three race wins out of four, and a sprint win to go along with it.

The recent aerodynamics upgrades on the Red Bull car have taken the RB21 much closer to the McLarens in performance, with the Papaya challenger reaching a stagnation point as the team shifts its focus to 2026. While McLaren is already the constructors' champion, the fight for the drivers' title is now well and truly on.

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Max Verstappen highlights what he needs to do to claim the 2025 drivers' title

Max Verstappen wins the F1 US GP - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen said he and Red Bull need to be 'perfect' for the rest of the season to have a chance of winning the 2025 drivers' title. The four-time world champion added that even if he fails to grab the prize, he would know he tried everything and kept the title fight exciting until the end.

Speaking to F1 TV after the US GP on Sunday, Verstappen said:

"We are having some very good weekends. Of course we also know that we need to be perfect till the end of the season to have a chance (of winning the title)." "But we will try. If we succeed, of course (it would be) amazing. if we don't, then we tried everything we could till the end and we kept it exciting. That's, I think, the spirit for us. It's positive pressure," he added.

Up next is the Mexico City GP, which has been a happy hunting ground for Verstappen, with the Red Bull driver having won there five times. It remains to be seen if he can continue his late-season charge for the title with another win at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, further increasing the pressure on the McLaren duo.

Edited by Parag Jain