Sawt Falasteen - Verstappen says Red Bull resilience key to bid for fifth straight F1 title

The Dutchman claimed his fourth straight title in Las Vegas in November, becoming just the fifth driver in Formula One history to achieve that feat.

But were he to keep hold of his crown in 2025, -- Formula One's 75th anniversary season -- Verstappen would join an even more exclusive club by drawing level with Michael Schumacher's record of five championships in a row.

While Verstappen eventually won the 2024 title by 63 points from Lando Norris, it was Norris's McLaren team who deprived Red Bull of a hat-trick of constructors' championships.

"If we are competitive as a team, then I'm sure that we can win it again," Verstappen told reporters during the 2025 Formula One Season launch at London's O2 Arena on Tuesday.

"We are very experienced and I think we showed that also last year that it was a bit tougher for us, we were still maximising our results. And that's, I think, the big strength of the team."

But Verstappen said that with pre-season testing in Bahrain still to take place ahead of the opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16, it was hard to assess Red Bull's prospects.

"I don't know where we are at the moment. I think no one knows that. And in a few weeks we'll know."

Asked if the upcoming season would be particularly competitive, the 27-year-old Dutchman added: "That would be nice, but it's impossible to answer right now, right?

"I've not driven my car, no-one has seen the other cars, so you can speculate about it, but it's just a waste of energy to think about that yet. It's good for the sport if it's exciting, but I don't know at the moment."

Verstappen was speaking at an event where all 10 teams had gathered to launch their new cars at the same venue, the first time this has happened in the history of Formula One.

"It's difficult to get most teams to agree what day of the week it is," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. "So, to get all 10 teams here launching their cars tonight, it's been a big effort."

"It's a show very much for the fans," Horner added.

"I don't think technically you're going to learn too much because I doubt there's a single car here that's going to be running in Bahrain," he said.

Formula One officials "are going to put on a good evening and it's really very much for the fans," he said

I.Yassin--SF-PST