Is Max Verstappen the favorite for the 2025 F1 world title? Martin Brundle gives verdict. Martin Brundle analyzes Max Verstappen’s chances in the 2025 F1 title fight .

According to former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle, Max Verstappen could retain his world championship title in 2025, provided that the pace among the leading teams remains balanced. With increasingly smaller gaps last season, the title race is set to be highly competitive.

No regulatory changes: A tight battle

Regulatory stability could favor a close fight among the top teams. McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes, all of which won at least three Grands Prix in 2024, are contenders for the title. When asked about a possible favorite, Brundle told Sky F1: “Formula 1 is data-driven. Everything revolves around the next race, the next qualifying session. What I love about live sports is that you never know what will happen, and that’s why I’ll be attending so many races to find out! I don’t like guessing. I like knowledge.”

McLaren stable, Mercedes in revolution

Among the top teams, McLaren is the only one maintaining an unchanged driver lineup: for the third consecutive year, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will share the garage.

The situation is different at Mercedes, which has lost Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari. The German team has decided to bet on a young talent: Kimi Antonelli, who will make his Formula 1 debut. Additionally, Liam Lawson has been promoted from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

Will internal rivalries benefit Max Verstappen?

According to Martin Brundle, intra-team battles could work in Max Verstappen’s favor in his quest for a fifth consecutive title. “We’ll see if Red Bull has recovered its car—that’s the key thing,” he emphasized. “If Red Bull has regained its pace and Max Verstappen is in form, he will still be the man to beat for the title.”

Furthermore, the former driver suggests that competition between teammates at Ferrari and McLaren could play into Max Verstappen’s hands: “Oscar Piastri could take points away from Lando Norris, and Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc could take points from each other.”

If that’s the case, the Dutchman could have a clearer path to his fifth world title.