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Former Formula 1 driver Christian Danner believes McLaren is starting to feel the pressure as Max Verstappen continues to close the gap in the championship fight. What was once a 104-point lead has now shrunk to just 40 — and with five races remaining, the tension is rising fast.
“Nerves are starting to show”
Speaking to Sport.de, the German former racer said he sees a clear shift in body language within the McLaren camp. “The nerves are already showing,” Danner observed. “You could see it, for example, in how Zak Brown reacted to Nico Hülkenberg after their collision in the sprint race — it was completely unnecessary.”
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With only five Grands Prix and two sprint weekends left, Verstappen needs to gain an average of eight points per weekend over the two McLaren drivers to retain his world title — a task Danner considers entirely possible. “McLaren know exactly how real that threat is,” he added.
“They had written Verstappen off”
For many in the paddock, Verstappen’s resurgence has come as a surprise. At the midpoint of the season, the Dutchman had been all but written off, as pundits and fans alike expected a new world champion to emerge after four dominant years. Yet the reigning champion is once again mounting an impressive comeback.
“If Verstappen wins the title, it’ll come out of nowhere,” said Danner. “He was practically written off by much of the media. The narrative was: if he doesn’t have the best car, he can’t win. I’ve always disagreed with that — because Max Verstappen remains an exceptional, world-class driver.”
Verstappen back in control
Verstappen has won three of the last five races, with Oscar Piastri and George Russell taking the others. His consistency — combined with Red Bull’s late-season improvements — has reignited the title battle.
If Verstappen can maintain this form, he could claim his fifth world championship, equalling Michael Schumacher’s record and reaffirming his status as one of the sport’s greatest competitors.
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