Martin Brundle names his new favorite within the 2025 F1 title race

Martin Brundle has picked Lando Norris as his favorite to win this yr’s F1 world championship.

Norris claimed a dominant lights-to-flag victory on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix final weekend to place himself into the championship lead for the primary time since April.

The Briton’s sixth win of the season, coupled with a fifth place end for McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, has seen Norris transfer right into a one-point lead with 4 races remaining.

Brundle believes Norris has momentum on his facet at an important time, and in addition reckons Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen has an excessive amount of to do to overturn his 36-point deficit.

“I imagine Max has acquired rather a lot to do except he has a number of weekends like Austin,” Brundle advised The F1 Present. “Due to the remaining 4 occasions, I imagine McLaren can be quicker in not less than two of them.

“It’s two towards one, Max would not have a rear gunner up there. And now and again, a Ferrari or a Mercedes is grabbing the larger factors, the highest three factors as effectively.

“I imagine it is between the 2 McLaren drivers, except they step on their very own tails and hand it to Max, as a result of Max actually successfully wants 12 or 15 factors a weekend to compensate… I imagine in Qatar, for instance, the McLaren can be stronger, in all probability Abu Dhabi as effectively.

“I believe Lando can take it except Oscar can return to the shape that he had earlier within the season and offering they do not step on their very own tails at McLaren.”

Verstappen casts doubt on title probabilities

After ending third in Mexico, Verstappen conceded he wants every thing “to go good” to ensure that him to win a fifth successive drivers’ crown this yr.

The Dutchman left Mexico in a greater place within the championship than he arrived, however nonetheless misplaced total floor to Norris, who delivered a press release win for each himself and McLaren.

“I misplaced 10 factors to Lando, in order I stated earlier than the weekend, every thing must go good to win,” Verstappen stated.

“And this weekend did not go good. In order that’s your reply. I believe it’ll be powerful, however let’s examine what we are able to do in different tracks.

“I hope, after all, we cannot expertise a weekend like this once more, however it nonetheless reveals that we’re not fast in each state of affairs. And that is what we have to perceive, I believe, a bit higher.”