Leclerc hails Verstappen’s form — but still backs McLaren to finish the job
Charles Leclerc can see Max Verstappen at full tilt again — and he likes what he’s seeing. He just doesn’t think it’ll be enough to rip the title out of McLaren’s hands.
After a season that looked like it was drifting away from Red Bull, Verstappen has slapped in back‑to‑back wins to chop the championship gap to Oscar Piastri down to 69 points. The latest came in Baku, where both McLarens laboured and the defending champion did what defending champions tend to do: collect.
“I think Max is not leaving anything on the table,” Leclerc said, noting Red Bull’s recent step with its car. “They are now at a very strong level as well… I don’t think Red Bull is dominating again. It’s very close between McLaren and Red Bull, but Max is doing a better job at the moment — congratulations to him.”
The numbers tell the story of a swing, if not a sea change. Since the summer break, Verstappen has outscored Lando Norris in every race and reeled in Piastri from a 104‑point deficit after Zandvoort to something less daunting. It’s momentum, no question. But titles aren’t won on vibes, and Leclerc isn’t buying the comeback narrative just yet.
Asked if Verstappen is a genuine threat to the crown, Leclerc didn’t dance around it. He’d be “very surprised” if the Dutchman pulls it off, tipping Piastri or Norris to close this out for McLaren.
It’s a fair read. McLaren still holds the best hand in pure package terms, and one messy weekend in Azerbaijan doesn’t erase the team’s body of work this year. But Verstappen has changed the mood of the room. He’s put heat back on Woking, and he’s done it the hard way — without the comfort of a dominant car and with zero margin for error.
Leclerc’s own season adds a layer of frustration to it all. He’s winless so far and fifth in the standings, which for a driver of his speed on Ferrari’s payroll is a jagged pill. The 27‑year‑old has heard the outside noise, including a stinging assessment from 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve.
“Charles is frustrated because he’s probably starting to understand that he will never be World Champion,” Villeneuve told Sky’s The F1 Show podcast. “It’s gone bad, it’s gotten worse. Next year is a whole new set of regulations and normally that’s not when Ferrari is at its best… He’s been there for a long time and his star has fallen a little bit.”
It’s blunt, even by Villeneuve standards. The counterpoint is obvious: Leclerc’s peaks remain as high as anyone’s, and form lines can flip fast when regulations shift — which they will in 2026. But this campaign has been stop‑start at best, and Ferrari’s missed chances have added up. That breeds pressure that only a win can quiet.
Back at the front, the title picture has taken on a compelling twist. McLaren still leads the dance, but Red Bull has rediscovered rhythm and Verstappen is driving like a man intent on making them sweat all the way to Abu Dhabi. The math remains harsh — 69 points is still a mountain — yet the psychological game has turned. Piastri and Norris can’t afford many more off‑colour Sundays.
Leclerc, meanwhile, is placing his bets with clear eyes. He can rate Verstappen’s current level — “not leaving anything on the table” is as high as praise gets in this paddock — and still see the broader arc of the season holding. That’s not fence‑sitting; that’s reading a championship that, for all the noise of the last two races, still leans orange.
What happens next? If Red Bull’s upgrade really has broadened Verstappen’s operating window, the final phase of the year could become a tug‑of‑war on strategy and execution. If Baku was just a blip for McLaren, the gap stabilises and the narrative cools.
Either way, Verstappen’s two‑step has given 2025 a jolt. It’s not quite a title twist — not yet — but it is a reminder that if you leave the door ajar, Max will take it off the hinges. McLaren’s task now is to slam it shut.
