Reigning champion Max Verstappen has admitted that Red Bull is not the quickest car on the grid heading into the Australian Grand Prix but warns his rivals that a lot can change over the course of a season.
However, with a 24-race season ahead of the team, things can change quickly, as seen by McLaren's incredible jump in performance last year. The Woking outfit started the season off behind the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, but after introducing impressive upgrades on the MCL38, Lando Norris secured his maiden Formula 1 win in Miami and fought against Verstappen for the drivers' championship. McLaren ultimately clinched the constructors' championship for the first time since 1998.
Playing it cool during the drivers' press conference in Melbourne, Verstappen argued that although the team is "not the quickest at the moment," it is "impossible" to know what this will mean for the whole season. The Dutchman explained:
"Impossible to know at the moment. I mean, I know that we are not the quickest at the moment, but again, it's a very long season. If you would have asked that question here last year and then at the end of the season again, you know, it looked completely different. So, a lot of things can always change quite quickly in Formula One."
George Russell is just one of several drivers who believe McLaren will be starting the season with the upper hand. While speaking to the media after pre-season testing in Bahrain, the Mercedes driver explained:
"I don't think either of us right now have a car that potentially is capable of beating the McLaren.
"McLaren, without doubt, look by far the strongest. Especially their race pace looks pretty impressive."
The 2025 F1 season will feature 24 Grands Prix and six sprint race weekends. Australia returns as the season opener, and the on-track will begin tomorrow with the first two practice sessions. Following the Albert Park race, the teams will head to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix.