Max Verstappen told F1 title upset rests on vital McLaren condition

Max Verstappen's title chances this year rest on the McLaren drivers tripping over each other in the final rounds of the F1 season, according to Martin Brundle.

Oscar Piastri currently leads team-mate Lando Norris by 25 points in the drivers' standings, with both being viewed as the main title protagonists for much of the season.

However, back-to-back victories for Verstappen in Italy and Azerbaijan respectively has sprouted the suggestion that the Dutchman could be a factor in the fight.

He currently sits 69 points behind Piastri ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix this Sunday.

While Brundle sees Verstappen's chance of picking up a fifth tile this year as a “long shot”, the former F1 driver believes he has now become a ritical factor for the McLaren drivers to consider.

“Mathematically, of course, yes, he is [in the fight],” Brundle told Sky F1.

“It’s a long shot, as Max has pointed out, but suddenly, instead of the two McLaren drivers just looking across the garage at their rival, they’ve got to look in their rear view mirrors as well.

“If normal service resumes for McLaren here and in Austin, then I think Max has got his work cut out.”

Verstappen has four wins to his name this year, while Mercedes managed to climb to the top step of the podium in Canada earlier in the season.

While Ferrari has not yet achieved a win, Brundle has backed the Italian squad to become a factor at the front of the field in the closing stages of the season.

However, the threat from Verstappen will not rest on raw pace alone, according to Brundle, who predicts the Dutchman will need McLaren to run into unwanted challenges in the hope of securing a title. 

“You can’t also write off Ferrari and Mercedes for scoring big points as well, particularly Mercedes in Las Vegas,” he said.

“If he [Verstappen] is going to jump and close that gap, I think it will involve McLaren stepping on their own tail again to give him a real chance.”