Max Verstappen Takes a Brutal Dig at McLaren over Blunders That Almost Cost Them 2025 Title

Max Verstappen mocked McLaren's botched team strategy over the 2025 season almost cost them the title win.

Max Verstappen Takes a Brutal Dig at McLaren over Blunders That Almost Cost Them 2025 Title

Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris (via Getty), Charles Leclerc (via Getty)

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McLaren was ironically one of the few teams that committed multiple blunders in terms of strategy over the 2025 season. Though the team picked up both title wins, they still committed many errors that could have cost them heavily. Now, in a recent Red Bull video, Max Verstappen has hilariously taken a dig at Woking following their mistakes in the final year of the ground-effect era.

Throughout the 2025 season, Max Verstappen continued his digs at McLaren and their botched team orders. The Dutchman couldn’t believe the driver swap at the Italian GP following Lando Norris‘ poor pitstop. Still, Verstappen did not comment much on the matters regarding Woking and focused on his own performances.

However, after the culmination of the 2025 season, Max Verstappen hasn’t hesitated to mock McLaren and their team orders. While opening festive gifts in a Red Bull segment, the Dutchman was given a chessboard. The producers informed Verstappen how he had to use a lot of strategy to win in Chess, and it was similar to Formula 1.

Max Verstappen did not think for a second and came up with a witty reply to this statement. Verstappen recalled the Qatar GP and how McLaren threw away a one-two finish following poor race strategy. The Dutchman then noted that he was better off sending the gift to the Woking crew as they clearly needed it more than him.

You’ve got to use a lot of strategy in chess.
Verstappen: Qatar? I’m going to send this one to McLaren then!

Max Verstappen said in a Red Bull video.

Max Verstappen reveals one ‘good factor’ about cars of the 2026 regulations

The 2026 season will introduce newer regulations that will finally move on from the Venturi wind tunnel effects. Though the upcoming regulations are still unknown and the drivers haven’t driven them physically, the simulator has provided a good enough feeling to the drivers. Despite the likes of Charles Leclerc, Lance Stroll, and Lewis Hamilton being uncertain about the new cars, Max Verstappen sees the positivity of the regulations and reveals one good factor about the apparent RB26.

Gianpiero Lambiase and Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)
Gianpiero Lambiase and Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

Max Verstappen pointed out that the cars and power units of the new generation made good noise and sounded crisp. Though Verstappen accepted that the regulations might not be the reason behind the new sound, it was still good anyway. The cars making good noise might not convert into better performance, but the Dutchman is still here for it.

Yeah. It makes noise. It sounded good, it sounded crisp, I’m not sure they actually develop the noise but it made a good noise.

Max Verstappen said on the Talking Bull podcast.

Certainly, Max Verstappen will hope to start the 2026 season on the right foot and carry forward the positive momentum he built in the final half of 2025. For now, Verstappen will enjoy the off-season with his family before returning to the grid. None of the teams seems to be the clear favorite for now, and Red Bull has found stability under the new leader as well.

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