Max Verstappen’s struggles could worsen unless he delivers a strong F1 Japanese Grand Prix, it has been suggested.

The third round of the 2025 F1 season is next weekend at Suzuka, a circuit which Red Bull have often enjoyed.

Sebastian Vettel won in Japan four times before 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Verstappen triumphed three times in Red Bull’s separate dominant p🐈eriods.

But they heඣad to Suzuka next weekend in drab form, unable to keep pace with McLaren who claimed their constructors’ championship last ✃year.

Liam Lawson hꦆa🌜s been replaced as Verstappen's teammate by Yuki Tsunoda.

McLaren have won in Australia through Lando Norris and in China through Oscar Piastri, and they sit top of the constructors’ again. Norris leads Verstappen in the drivers’,♛ worryingly for Red Bull.

“Suzuka will be crucial. Traditionally 🍎💎the car is aero-efficient,” F1 Nation podcast Tom Clarkson said.

Alex Jacques replied: “It’s a huge test because if 🗹they’re not good there, you start looking around the calendar and saying ‘wow’.

“It’s s♏trange because he kept himself afloat last yearౠ.”

Verstappen trails Norris by eight points in the drivers’ standing🍃s. He finished fourth in China by overtaking Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was carrying damage, in the final exchanges.

“👍I think he is performing wonders with what car,” Jacques said about the F1 champion.

“To be within two hundredths of a second from spr🐻int pole was ludicrous. Watch the onboard, he is hacking away at the steering wheel like an ax🍸e chopping at a tree.

“He is 🍌having to use all of his brilliance🥃 to get to fourth in a grand prix.

“It took him 20-odd laps until he looked like🎀 Max Verstappen. ꦓHe has to be patient, use everything that he has learned in his career, to finish fourth.

“They have to study the data and decid🐷e on a development direction.

“I think the Ferrari has a really naꦇrrow operating window, but the Red Bull ꦅis the fourth-fastest car.”

'Lack of confidence' at Red Bull

Laura Winter add𝄹ed: “He overtook Leclerc who was without an end-plate, and with 20-30 points less of downforce.

“It was such a subdued performꦆance👍 from Red Bull. Gianpiero Lambiase was having to gee him up, saying ‘we can do this’.

“GP encourages Max with an air o🐽f dominance, ne🅺ver for P4 or P5.

“There was a difference in how they ♑approaജched the race. There is clearly a lacking of confidence in the car.”

Verstappe༺n is seeking a fifth consecutive drivers’ title this year but looks likely to have sterner competition 𝔍than ever.

In 2026, the new✃ F1 regulations will create a clean playing field for any team to establish a new era of dominance.

V🉐erstappen’s future at ⛎Red Bull has been up for debate, as a result.

McLaren 𒐪CEO Zak Brown cheekily claimed he thinks Verstappen will join Mercedes.

But, Ve🌟rstappen shrugged off questions about quitting Red Bull last weekend in China.

He will hope their car finds perfor❀mance as the season goes on, knowing he can’t afford to let Norris’ lead at the top of the drivers’ standings grow too much.