By DCB Editorial, May 12, 2025
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner delivered a candid post-race assessment after McLaren dominated the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, leaving his team and the rest of the Formula 1 field trailing.
Despite Max Verstappen starting from pole, Red Bull faded during the race, with Verstappen finishing only fourth. Both McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, overtook him early on, and George Russell capitalised on a Virtual Safety Car to leap ahead as well.
Horner acknowledged McLaren’s superiority, stating:
“Well done to McLaren – they were in a league of their own today, particularly with tyres running at the temperatures that they are.”
“They definitely are doing a better job than the rest of the teams and had a very competitive race.”
He cited brake issues and tyre temperature struggles as key problems hampering Red Bull:
“We had some issues with the brakes that Max hasn’t been happy with… I think the drivers talk about a numbness in the car.”
“McLaren just do a better job of keeping their temps – certainly on this type of circuit, at this venue – under control.”
Looking ahead, Horner was cautiously optimistic about the European rounds:
“We’re back into Europe, different types of circuit, different nature of circuits… [But] McLaren have got the car to beat at the moment, that’s quite clear.”
On the championship outlook, Horner emphasised the long season ahead:
“It’s a 24-race championship – there’s a long, long way to go.”
“[McLaren] are looking mightily impressive at this point as we leave Miami. Things can change, but we need to start making an indentation into the points.”
Currently, Verstappen trails Piastri by 32 points in the Drivers’ standings, while Red Bull sits a hefty 141 points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
2025 Drivers’ Championship Standings (Top 10)
| Position | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 131 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 115 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 99 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | 93 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 53 |
| 6 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 48 |
| 7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 41 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 30 |
| 9 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 14 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 14 |
2025 Constructors’ Championship Standings
| Position | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren | 246 |
| 2 | Mercedes | 141 |
| 3 | Red Bull | 105 |
| 4 | Ferrari | 94 |
| 5 | Williams | 37 |
| 6 | Haas | 20 |
| 7 | Aston Martin | 14 |
| 8 | Racing Bulls | 8 |
| 9 | Alpine | 7 |
| 10 | Kick Sauber | 6 |
Oscar Piastri’s victory in Miami marked his third consecutive win, extending his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 16 points over teammate Lando Norris. McLaren’s strong performance has also solidified its position at the top of the constructors’ standings, with 246 points.