Speed, tools, experience - why Max Verstappen is still Formula 1 favourite, according to Martin Brundle

Driver movement and improvements across the board has made this Formula 1 season more exciting, but Formula 1 expert Martin Brundle believes Max Verstappen is the man to beat. This is why.

Formula 1 expert Martin Brundle says Red Bull star Max Verstappen remains the man to beat in this year’s championship as he revealed the factors playing against McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

While many F1 pundits have tipped last year’s championship runner-up Norris as the new favourite for the 2025 title, Brundle still considered Verstappen the frontrunner.

The Dutch champion has the chance to equal F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive world titles this year, but the stocks of constructors’ champions McLaren rose further after the team’s pre-season testing form.

Ahead of this weekend’s season-opening Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, Brundle said had the full tool-kit and an advantage over his McLaren rivals.

Max Verstappen is a four-time world champion in Formula 1. Picture: Getty Images

Brundle predicted the papaya pair would be taking points off of each other – and the same for the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and his new teammate Lewis Hamilton – which would harm their championship chances.

“Max Verstappen starts as the favourite in my book,” Brundle said in his column on Sky Sports F1.

“He knows what to do. He’s just so fast, he’s so good whatever’s happening out on track.

“He’s confident, he’s got all the tools you need in terms of speed, racecraft, race starts, strategy, and the ability to look after the tyres when he needs to.

“He’s also got an advantage for the drivers’ championship because I think the other two McLaren boys will take points off each other, and the Ferrari drivers too.

“That’s not a slight on Red Bull’s (rookie) Liam Lawson, I think he’s got the head to have a chance to keep Max in view despite having the worst job in motorsport, but it’s quite clear who’s going to be the frontrunner this year at Red Bull.”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and title rival Lando Norris, from McLaren. Picture: Getty Images

After four world title wins in a row, Brundle said Verstappen also had the experience of knowing how to win a championship and dealing with the intense spotlight of a close title battle in the final rounds.

“The experience of winning one championship, let alone multiple championships, is something that Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and (Mercedes driver) George Russell don’t yet possess,” Brundle said.

“They haven’t been in that intense spotlight in the final few races of a season, and we don’t know how they’ll cope.

“We do know how Max and Lewis can cope with that. So, I feel that Max starts as the favourite assuming Red Bull can sort the car.”

Brundle said the big question mark was how Red Bull would perform after losing their former chief technology officer Adrian Newey to Aston Martin.

“If you look at the final 14 races of last year, Max wasn’t going to win any championship on those results alone, so we’ll see if post Newey (Adrian Newey) the team has what it takes to improve,” Brundle said.

“If they can’t then my prediction will be wrong.

“But in any event, if McLaren, Mercedes or Ferrari have a dominant car, and if somebody does manage to regularly win races, then Max has got a problem.”

Max Verstappen and his Oracle Red Bull Racing team will start another world championship defence in Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

Brundle said Norris either needed to “disappear up the road” or had to get the “elbows out” to take on “street fighter” Verstappen if he was to go one better this year.

“Max is a street fighter, much more so than Lando, so that for me is the crux of the issue,” Brundle said.

“Lando has either got to disappear up the road and not have to fight Max - that’d be the easiest fix for him – or if they end up in a showdown, we know how aggressive Max is in those combat situations.

“Whether you admire the way he does it or not, it’s quite effective. Max knows the regulations, the driving rules, he has more than enough talent to place his car very carefully at high speed, wheel to wheel, and he just works the system.

“Lewis found it, Lando found it, Max is not going to change and the more intense a championship gets, the more aggressive Max gets.

“And so what will Lando, George, and others do about that? They’ll have to get their elbows out and show Max they’re not intimidated by him, which may cost some championship points and bodywork along the way.”

Originally published as Speed, tools, experience - why Max Verstappen is still Formula 1 favourite, according to Martin Brundle