Max Verstappen is still a threat for the Formula One drivers' title after successive wins from pole position in Italy and Azerbaijan, according to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella.
The Red Bull driver had looked out of the running for a fifth title in a row after falling 104 points behind McLaren's championship leader Oscar Piastri following his home Dutch race at Zandvoort at the end of August.
Verstappen remains very much a long shot but has cut the gap to 69 points in the space of two races with seven rounds remaining – 25 of them gained on Sunday after Piastri crashed out on the opening lap.
Including three Saturday sprint races, there are 199 points still to be won.
"We're talking about Max Verstappen, we're talking about Red Bull," Stella told reporters after Verstappen dominated Sunday's race in Baku with the fastest lap and after leading from pole to chequered flag.
"We have already seen in Monza that they improved, they seem to have made an improvement with their car because the way they won Monza was something more... than simply a car that adapts well at low drag.
"They were fast in the corners, medium speed and low speed corners, fast in the straights. And we know that Max when he has a competitive car can deliver strong weekends.
"Definitely Max is in contention for the drivers' championship. We knew it and we got confirmation today."
Verstappen has now won four of the 17 grands prix – only one fewer than McLaren's title contender Lando Norris has achieved.
The 27-year-old has started from more pole positions (six) than anyone this season, Piastri has five, and has now led more race laps than Norris.
Verstappen was not about to make any declarations of intent, however.
"I don’t rely on hope. But it’s seven rounds left – 69 points is a lot. So I personally don’t think about it," he said of his chances.
"I just go race by race, what I have been doing basically the whole season, just trying to do the best we can, try to score the most points that we can. And then after (the final race in) Abu Dhabi, we’ll know."
NEXT UP:
18. Sunday, 5 October 2025
Singapore GP, Marina Bay Street Circuit
19. Sunday, 19 October 2025
USA GP, Circuit of the Americas, Austin
20. Sunday, 26 October 2025
Mexico GP, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City
21. Sunday, 9 November 2025
Brazil GP, Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace (Interlagos), Sao Paulo
22. Sunday, 23 November 2025
Las Vegas GP, Las Vegas Street Circuit
23. Sunday, 30 November 2025
Qatar GP, Losail International Circuit
24. Sunday, 7 December 2025
Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Marina Circuit
COMPLETED RACES
1. Australia (Melbourne) - 16 March
2. China, (Shanghai) - 23 March
3. Japan (Suzuka) - 6 April
4. Bahrain (Sakhir) - 13 April
5. Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) - 20 April
6. Miami - 4 May
7. Emilia-Romagna GP, Imola - 18 May
8. Monaco - 25 May
9. Spainish GP, Barcelona - 1 June
10. Canadian GP, Montreal - 15 June
11. Austrian GP, Spielberg - 29 June
12. British GP, Silverstone - 6 July
13. Belgian GP, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 27 July
14. Hungary GP, Hungaroring, Budapest - 3 August
15. Netherlands GP, Zandvoort - 31 August
16. Italian GP, Monza - 7 September
----- TEAMS -----
Red Bull Racing
1 Max Verstappen
30 Liam Lawson
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
63 George Russell
12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Scuderia Ferrari
16 Charles Leclerc
44 Lewis Hamilton
McLaren F1 Team
81 Oscar Piastri
4 Lando Norris
Alpine F1 Team
14 Pierre Gasly
31 Jack Doohan
RB
22 Yuki Tsunoda
6 Isack Hadjar
Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team
14 Fernando Alonso
18 Lance Stroll
Williams Racing
55 Carlos Sainz
23 Alexander Albon[c]
Kick Sauber
27 Nico Hulkenberg
5 Gabriel Bortoleto
Haas F1 Team
87 Oliver Bearman
31 Esteban Ocon