Max Verstappen is still considered the favorite to win at least one race in the 2026 Formula 1 season, even though half of the scheduled races for this year have already been held, without any victory from the four-time world champion. A survey by RacingNews365 showed that 83.3% of participants believe that the Red Bull Racing driver will still reach the top of the podium in 2026.
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The survey result gains weight due to the streak built by Verstappen since his first victory, at the 2016 Spanish GP. Since then, the Dutchman has won at least one race in every season, accumulating 71 wins in the category and maintaining the record for ten consecutive years.
In 2026, however, this streak is threatened like never before. After eleven rounds, Verstappen is in sixth place in the drivers’ championship, with 109 points, and has not yet won, while the RB22 is described as the weakest Red Bull car since 2015. The first half of the season included a sixth place in Australia, after starting 20th, as well as a retirement in China and modest results in Japan.
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The situation began to show signs of improvement with the updates introduced by the team during the season. Verstappen finished second in Austria and Hungary, results that indicated a closer approach to the expected performance, but Red Bull still faces a disadvantage of about half a second in qualifying sessions compared to the Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari cars.
With eleven races still remaining on the calendar, starting with the Dutch GP, there is a possibility for Verstappen to preserve his streak. The expectation of the 83.3% who voted for a win mainly depends on Red Bull’s development reducing the gap to competitors enough for the four-time champion to turn this recovery into a victory.
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