For Max Verstappen, the 2025 Formula 1 season showed how important team structure can be in a title fight. While Red Bull Racing struggled all year with its second car, Verstappen was often the only driver fighting at the front. At first, this looked like a big problem. In the end, Verstappen felt it actually helped him.

Red Bull tried to fix its second seat once again. Liam Lawson was given a chance, but after two weak race weekends he was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda. The change did not bring the results the team hoped for. Tsunoda also lacked consistency and was later moved into a reserve role for 2026, with young driver Isack Hadjar chosen as the next option. During all this, Verstappen remained Red Bull’s only real contender.

This meant Verstappen was racing alone against McLaren’s two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Even so, he believed this situation gave him more freedom. “When you’re on your own, you can attack and be much more aggressive. I always prefer that,” Verstappen said to Viaplay. With no team mate fighting for the title, Red Bull could focus fully on his races and decisions.

Verstappen also noticed that Norris and Piastri often took points from each other. McLaren treated both drivers equally, which made their strategy harder to manage. “If the cars are close, then I wish both McLaren drivers good luck, because they can really decide it between themselves,” he explained.

Because of this, Verstappen has a clear opinion on how teams should work. “If I were a team boss, I would always choose a clear number one and number two,” he said. “Of course the number two should still score enough points for the constructors’ championship.” In Verstappen’s view, McLaren’s approach helped Red Bull stay in the fight during a difficult and unusual season.