LE CASTELLET, France: World champion Max Verstappen admitted on Thursday that his Red Bull team had learned from “a few wrong calls” at the recent Austrian Grand Prix and would face another fierce scrap for victory in Sunday’s French race.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix, the 24-year-old Dutchman added that he hoped Mercedes, revived by another package of upgrades, would not join the expected fight with Ferrari for victory.
“Maybe they are (a threat),” he responded, when asked about a challenge from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. “I hope not!“
Red Bull and Ferrari have won all 11 races this year, but Mercedes hope their revival will continue on the smooth circuit with high-speed corners.
Verstappen leads the drivers’ title race with 208 points ahead of nearest rival Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on 170, the Monegasque driver having revived his challenge with victory in Austria a week after team-mate Carlos Sainz had won the British contest.
“I do think that we made a few wrong calls in Austria, in hindsight,” he told reporters.
“But, of course, with a sprint weekend format it’s very hard to change that (car set-up) after first free practice and I think we learnt a lot from it.
“I think our top speed was still alright, but when you are losing in the corners a bit more than you would like, then it’s always going to be a tough day and that’s what happened.
“I hope that with the things we learned we are back to our normal form — but even when we are in normal form, I think it’s still going to be very tight for a race win. So, I expect the same here.”
Verstappen said he anticipated Ferrari to be strong again as they seek to complete a first hat-trick since 2019 and acknowledged that Hamilton could also compete at the front after reeling off three consecutive podium finishes.
Hamilton confirmed on Thursday that he remains optimistic of claiming a win this year to enable him to maintain his unique record as the only driver to have won a race in every season of his career.
After a disappointing opening to the season, Mercedes have regained speed and consistency with their upgrades and arrive at the Paul Ricard circuit in buoyant mood, hoping the smooth, fast and flowing layout will suit their car.
“I’m working toward getting that win and I do believe at some stage we will be able to compete with these guys, whether that’s this weekend or in five races time,” said Hamilton.
“The journey is the important part. We started off not where we wanted to be, we’ve made progress and we’ve started to hit a patch of consistency.
“When we do get back to where we deserve to be, I think we’ll appreciate it that much more.”
Hamilton is set to start his 300th Formula One race on Sunday, making him only the sixth driver to reach that total.
Verstappen admits Red Bull made ‘wrong calls’
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Verstappen admits Red Bull made ‘wrong calls’
- Red Bull and Ferrari have won all 11 races this year
- Mercedes hope their revival will continue on the smooth circuit with high-speed corners
Arsenal thrash Villa 4-1 while Chelsea and Man Utd both held
- Arsenal end Aston Villa’s 11-game winning streak
- Wolves earn third point of season against Man United
LONDON: Arsenal closed out 2025 in emphatic fashion, smashing third-placed Aston Villa 4-1 on Tuesday to surge five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers, who collected their third point of the season, while Bournemouth grabbed a point at stuttering Chelsea, forcing a 2-2 draw after a frantic first-half display.
Man United are sixth, level on 30 points with fifth-placed Chelsea.
At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal slammed the door shut on charging Villa, ending their club-record winning run of 11 games.
Goals by Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Zubimendi early in the second half gave Arsenal control of a game that had looked fraught with danger.
Gabriel bundled in the opener from a corner in the 48th minute before Martin Odegaard slid a pass through for Zubimendi to score four minutes later. Arsenal secured the points when Leandro Trossard fired home from the edge of the area before Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to add the fourth.
Ollie Watkins grabbed a consolation goal for Villa in stoppage time.
“I think it was amazing,” Jesus told Sky Sports. “It’s always hard to play against them... The mentality of the team is really, really growing and each game is growing even more and I think we are winning today because of the mentality.”
Arsenal top the standings with 45 points, while second-placed Manchester City can close the gap when they play at Sunderland on Thursday.
Villa are six points adrift of Arsenal.
It took six minutes at Stamford Bridge for Bournemouth to shock Chelsea when David Brooks grabbed the opener. Cole Palmer equalized from the spot in the 15th minute and Fernandez put Chelsea ahead with a bullet shot eight minutes later.
Justin Kluivert brought Bournemouth back level in the 27th, to grab a point, adding to the London side’s unenviable record of one win in seven league games. Chelsea sit fifth, while Bournemouth are 10 spots below them.
Man Utd struggle
Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee made the most of a rare start by giving the depleted hosts the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the box in the 27th minute.
But Wolves managed to level just before the break thanks to a header from Ladislav Krejci.
Patrick Dorgu briefly celebrated what he thought was a 90th-minute winner, but it was chalked off for offside.
“We struggled in all the game,” United boss Ruben Amorim said. “We had a lack of creation... the fluidity offensively wasn’t there.
“We didn’t play well. When you don’t play well with the ball, you struggle without it.”
Wolves have three points from 19 games, 15 points from the safety zone.
Newcastle United’s Joelinton scored after 65 seconds and Yoane Wissa doubled their lead five minutes later in a 3-1 thrashing of 19th-placed Burnley, who are winless in their last 10 games.
Josh Laurent pulled one back in the 23rd minute, but Bruno Guimaraes sealed Newcastle’s rare away win with a goal in stoppage time.
Everton climbed to eighth in the standings with a 2-0 win over their former manager Sean Dyche and Nottingham Forest thanks to goals from James Garner and Thierno Barry.
West Ham United drew 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion in a game that featured three penalties in the first half.
Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta, from the penalty spot, scored before the break for West Ham, while Brighton’s Danny Welbeck struck from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute but fired another off the crossbar.
Joel Veltman scored for Brighton in the 61st minute to secure the draw.
There are four more games on New Year’s Day, including fourth-placed Liverpool hosting Leeds United at Anfield.
