“Now it will be exciting”: Former F1 driver predicts ‘the best driver’ Max Verstappen having tough season in 2025

Gerhard Berger, former F1 driver, has shared his take on the challenge Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen will face this upcoming season. His comments stemmed from Verstappen's strong performance despite being in a car that wasn't as competitive last year as in previous seasons.

The former driver believes that while the Dutchman is the best on the grid, he still did face difficulty in 2024 with his current team, and based on how the car performs this upcoming season, the world champion might have to examine his future with the Austrian organization.

In an interview with Auto Motor Und Sport that was released earlier today, the former McLaren and Ferrari driver was asked whether he thinks there's anyone who can hold a candle to Verstappen - to which the 10-time race winner said:

"Verstappen is the best driver, no question about it. Before, however, the best driver was in the best team. In the meantime, however, Max is pulling the chestnuts out of the fire. Now it will be exciting to see whether Red Bull can return to its old strength or whether Verstappen will continue to have difficulty winning. Then he will consider whether he is still in the right team."

Max Verstappen had a strong 2023 season where he achieved 19 wins and two second-place finishes, giving him 21 podium finishes in 22 races. Last year he won nine races, seven in the season's first half. He then faced a 10-race streak of no wins, in which he scored four podium finishes.

Overall, Verstappen completed his 2024 season having scored 437 points, allowing him to win the championship by 63 points. However, by the end of the 2023 season, the RBR driver had secured a 290-point margin between him and second place in the standings, teammate Sergio Perez.

On the constructor front, Red Bull achieved back-to-back championship titles in 2022 and 2023, ending last year with 589 points, a third-place standing in the fight for the title. Part of the low finish came from Perez's performance in 2024. The Mexican driver only scored four podium finishes for a 152-point total, an eighth-place finish.

In 2025, Max Verstappen will be accompanied by Liam Lawson in Red Bull's driver line-up, with the duo set to attend the F1 75 event on February 18 to reveal the team's 2025 car livery.

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Gerhard Berger calls Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton "real champions" for their maturity

Lewis Hamilton (R) and Max Verstappen attend the press conference after the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain on July 07, 2024 - Source: Getty

Speaking with Auto Motor Und Sport, Gerhard Berger was also asked about Max Verstappen's non-podium finishes last year. The former driver believes that the four-time World Champion has grown in the aspect of being able to miss out on the top spot, yet succeed in winning the title by the end of the season.

Crediting Lewis Hamilton with the same, Berger said:

"Verstappen has matured in this respect too. Hamilton learned that at some point too. They are the real champions. That's how they win the championship."

Verstappen will return to the grid this year as the defending champion with the first race taking place in Melbourne, Australia on March 16.