Martin Brundle made one Max Verstappen presumption in 2025 that was really off the mark

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Max Verstappen doesn’t have much time to reflect on the 2025 Formula 1 season before getting back to work for the new season.

From his perspective, there was little else he could have done this year. He made a handful of mistakes, but the vast majority of his results were achieved because of him, and not his car.

He pushed the Red Bull beyond the limit without crashing or falling out of line. It was a rare display of consistency and raw speed from someone in a car that shouldn’t have competed for a title.

Is Max Verstappen making an excuse for losing out on the 2025 F1 title to Lando Norris?

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Missing out on the drivers’ championship by just two points will hurt Verstappen a little, but it might have been a better year than any of his four title-winning seasons.

Verstappen will ‘remain loyal’ to Red Bull for as long as they give him a car capable of fighting for victories. That’s the most important cause for him.

READ MORE: Bernie Collins outlines the 2026 Red Bull scenario that will see Max Verstappen ‘want to’ leave

Martin Brundle presumed Max Verstappen was the F1 title favourite too soon in 2025

At the start of the campaign, Martin Brundle made a call on Sky Sports News that Verstappen should be considered top dog to start the season.

“He’s so fast, he’s so good, he knows how to win multiple world championships,” he said. “So does Lewis [but] his main rivals don’t yet know how to win any F1 world championships in Charles [Leclerc], Lando [Norris], George [Russell], Oscar Piastri too.

“Max should start the season [as the favourite], and whoever wins this year’s World Championship, will win a binding championship.”

But, he couldn’t have been much more wrong. McLaren had the much faster car, and Red Bull were a fair distance behind until the summer break.

Verstappen won the 2025 overtake of the year award, but only because he knew he had to get ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the first available opportunity.

It was wrong to presume that he should start the year as favourite, despite being the best driver this year, because he didn’t have anywhere near the level of tools that his competitors did.

READ MORE: F1 fans now think Max Verstappen has ultimate respect for Lewis Hamilton after 2025 comments

Why Max Verstappen cannot be considered the favourite for the 2026 F1 title

Looking ahead to the 2026 F1 regulations, it would be hard to find anyone able to call Verstappen the favourite for the title.

No one knows how the new Red Bull power unit will perform, and whether they will be able to master the new changes without a lot of the people they have lost over the last few years.

It’s going to be a massive test for their new management, and they’re under immediate pressure to deliver, or risk losing their superstar driver.

Verstappen changed how he celebrates, but he won’t have much to cheer for next year unless his team delivers with their next iteration.