The fight for the Formula 1 title in 2026 could gain a new chapter in the upcoming stages of the season. Bernie Ecclestone believes that Max Verstappen has once again become a real threat in the championship battle after signs of recovery from Red Bull Racing in recent races.
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The former owner of the category pointed to the Dutchman as the main rival to Kimi Antonelli in the title fight, leaving George Russell in the background. For Ecclestone, the progress shown by Red Bull in the last races puts Verstappen directly back in the championship fight.
Red Bull faced difficulties finding performance with the RB22 at the start of the current season, while Mercedes opened a lead in the first stages of the year, and Antonelli ended up becoming the big surprise of the championship so far. The Italian won three of the first four races and opened a twenty-point lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, showing significant progress compared to his debut season in 2025, when he struggled to keep up with Russell at various times.
While Antonelli grew within Mercedes, Russell was unable to maintain the same level after winning the opening round in Australia and also the first Sprint race of the year, held in Shanghai. The Briton began to face questions in light of his teammate’s dominant performance.
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In recent races, however, both McLaren and Red Bull have shown important progress. When Formula 1 arrived in Miami, it became clear that Verstappen’s team started to react after a below-expectations start.
Ecclestone highlighted precisely this recovery, betting on Verstappen as a strong championship contender: “Antonelli or Verstappen will be world champions,” he told the Swiss newspaper Blick. The executive also added: “Red Bull apparently overcame the bad phase. Max has reignited, and then he is dangerous,” he concluded.
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