Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has thrown his weight behind Max Verstappen, declaring the Dutchman as the frontrunner to claim a fifth World Championship in 2025.
At 94, Ecclestone remains a towering figure in F1’s history, and his latest forecast sets the stage for a thrilling season.
With the championship battle expected to be tighter than ever following a 2024 season that saw four teams and seven drivers taste victory, Ecclestone’s confidence in Verstappen stands out as a testament to the Red Bull star’s enduring dominance.
Grand Prix racing’s 2025 campaign will kick off next week in Melbourne and it could mark a historic milestone. A fifth straight title would place Verstappen alongside Michael Schumacher, who achieved the feat with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004, adding to his earlier Benetton crowns in 1994 and 1995.
Verstappen, who has led the drivers’ standings for over 1,000 days since May 2022, faces a formidable challenge from a resurgent field, yet Ecclestone sees no reason to doubt the Red Bull charger.
“I still think Max will win. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t,” he asserted in a conversation with Reuters.
“If he’s got the equipment, obviously there’d be no discussion about him. It would be a definite. If the car’s up to it, he’ll get the job done.”
A Competitive Landscape: McLaren and Ferrari in the Mix
Despite Red Bull’s loss of the Constructors’ title to McLaren in 2024, Verstappen emerged from last season unscathed in the drivers’ standings, finishing well ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who took second.
Norris, now the bookmakers’ favorite after a breakout year, looms as a primary threat, especially with Red Bull’s limited mileage during Bahrain testing hinting at potential vulnerabilities.
©McLaren
Verstappen’s new teammate, Liam Lawson, steps into the breach left by Sergio Perez’s faltering 2024 campaign, adding an element of uncertainty to Red Bull’s dynamic.
Yet Ecclestone remains unfazed, pinning his hopes on Verstappen’s ability to rise above any adversity. The competition, however, is far from one-dimensional.
“I’m pleased in lots of ways that it (the championship) is open in the way that it is, and it’s good,” Ecclestone said, welcoming the unpredictability that has revitalized F1.
“You’d have to obviously think McLaren and I’d like to see Ferrari win,” he said, signaling his admiration for the Scuderia’s potential to challenge the status quo.
For Ecclestone, the 2025 title fight isn’t just about Verstappen—it’s about a sport thriving on its newfound depth.
Ferrari’s Hopes Rest on Leclerc
At Ferrari, the spotlight falls on Charles Leclerc, whom Ecclestone views as the team’s best shot at dethroning Verstappen.
The Monegasque, a mainstay at Maranello, welcomes seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton as his teammate in 2025, but Ecclestone believes Leclerc will remain Ferrari’s priority.
©Ferrari
“He’s been there all the way through so they are hardly going to dump him for Lewis,” he remarked.
“I’m not saying Lewis isn’t possible, just that they will not stop looking after and hoping Leclerc’s going to get the job done.”
This stance underscores Ferrari’s delicate balancing act. Hamilton, who joins after a storied tenure at Mercedes, brings unparalleled experience, but Leclerc’s continuity and hunger could tip the scales.
Last season, Leclerc’s consistency kept Ferrari in contention, and with a potentially race-winning car, he’s poised to capitalize.
Ecclestone’s nod to the 27-year-old reflects a belief that Ferrari’s title aspirations hinge on nurturing their homegrown talent over banking solely on Hamilton’s late-career magic.
The Young Guns and Long Shots
Elsewhere, Ecclestone cast a skeptical eye on Mercedes’ rookie sensation, Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old Italian, stepping into Hamilton’s vacated seat, arrives with immense hype, but Ecclestone isn’t convinced he’ll make an immediate splash.
“I would be very surprised if Hamilton’s Mercedes replacement, 18-year-old Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, won a race this season,” he said.
Hamilton’s own debut in 2007—nine straight podiums and two wins en route to a runner-up finish—set a high bar, but Ecclestone sees Antonelli needing time to find his footing in F1’s unforgiving arena.
As the season looms, Ecclestone’s vision pits Verstappen’s relentless pursuit of history against a field brimming with ambition.
McLaren’s momentum, Ferrari’s Leclerc-led charge, and the unpredictability of new faces like Lawson and Antonelli promise a gripping narrative.
Yet, for the former F1 kingpin, it’s Verstappen who holds the edge. In Melbourne, the first chapter of this saga begins.
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