Max Verstappen Faces Tough Title Prediction Despite 'Class of the Field' Praise
Although McLaren drivers currently hold first and second place in the drivers' championship, Max Verstappen has significantly reduced the gap in recent races. Former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer does not expect Verstappen to upset the title battle by overtaking both McLaren drivers.
Verstappen trails the championship leader by 36 points, down from a 104-point deficit several races ago. After winning the US Grand Prix, the Dutch driver acknowledged he needed a “perfect” performance to secure a fifth consecutive title. However, at the Mexican Grand Prix, Lando Norris dominated while Verstappen finished third on the track.
Norris' strong result put him one point ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri in the standings. Speaking to RacingNews365, Szafnauer identifies the McLaren duo as the main title contenders and favors one of them to win the championship.
“You've got to go with a McLaren driver, even though Max is the class of the field,” Szafnauer said. “I’ve always said it, from here on out to the end, the driver that makes the least amount of mistakes or has the least failures, will win it.”
He added that initially, Lando appeared to be pushing too hard because Oscar proved a stronger challenge than expected based on last year’s performance. Now, Norris has adapted and is driving confidently again.
Summary
Otmar Szafnauer believes the McLaren drivers have the advantage in the championship despite Verstappen’s talent, highlighting consistency as the key factor for victory.