Helmut Marko has admitted that Red Bull expect to struggle again at the upcoming races in Saudi Arabia and Miami, leaving Max Verstappen's World Championship bid in an uncertain position. Red Bull have been inferior to both McLaren and Mercedes throughout the opening stages of the 2025 campaign, but a surprise win for Verstappen at the Japanese Grand Prix sparked hopes of a true championship battle.

Unfortunately for the four-time world champion, this hope was extinguished in Bahrain last weekend. The Milton Keynes squad had no pace to challenge Oscar Piastri for pole position at the sharp end of the grid, with Verstappen lining up in P7, one place behind fellow title hopeful Lando Norris. In the race, he could only recover to a P6 finish, passing Alpine's Pierre Gasly on the final lap.

Unfortunately for Verstappen, his team are not forecasting light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon. “The races in Jeddah and Miami are going to be really tough for us," Marko told Kleine Zeitung. "If we want to stay competitive in the title fight, we need to secure at least one podium place in the next three races.”

The Milton Keynes squad are suffering after their drop in performance after the Japanese GP win. “That hurt,” Marko continued. "Falling from a victory back to a midfield position was certainly not our plan. The car lacks balance, which causes the tyres to overheat, and one problem leads to another."

Damage limitation will be the name of the game for Verstappen and Red Bull at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The 27-year-old is already eight points behind Lando Norris at the top of the standings, and that gap is expected to widen in Saudi Arabia.

The Dutchman could also come under fire from George Russell, too. The Brit has started the season in fine form, and Mercedes expect that the high-speed nature of the Jeddah track will suit the W16, putting them in the conversation for a fourth podium in five events.

Despite the worrying situation, Verstappen is staying calm. When asked about the rumours linking him with a Red Bull exit, he replied: "I don't know, to be honest. I just keep working, you know, keep trying to improve the car.

"I think, naturally, Bahrain wasn't a great weekend for us. I think we were all pretty disappointed with that. And we just keep on trying to improve the car, come up with new ideas to try on the car. Competition is tough. That's how I go about my weeks, just trying to improve the situation."