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With just four race weekends to go, Max Verstappen is somehow back in the title fight. The Dutchman was all but written off mid-season, his Red Bull lagging behind the resurgent McLarens. Yet as the season reaches its boiling point, Verstappen is doing what he does best, turning pressure into performance. Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes that if Verstappen pulls off this comeback, it would be the greatest achievement of his career.
From written off to feared again
At the halfway mark of the season, few believed Verstappen could challenge for a fifth world title. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri seemed untouchable, their papaya cars controlling the grid with pace and precision. Red Bull, once the dominant force, looked lost in
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development. But Verstappen never accepted defeat. Slowly, methodically, he dragged himself and the team back into contention.
Today, the points gap to championship leader Lando Norris stands at 36, significant, but not impossible. In the fast, unpredictable world of Formula 1, that margin can vanish in a single weekend.
Palmer: “Verstappen can still work miracles”
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Jolyon Palmer couldn’t hide his admiration. “If Max wins this championship, it’ll be the best performance of his life,” he said. “He’s been up against two McLarens that are on fire, yet somehow he’s still there. Brazil could change everything.”
Palmer points out that Interlagos often rewards instinct and bravery, two of Verstappen’s strongest traits. “If everyone nails a perfect lap, McLaren might still have a small advantage,” he admitted. “But this circuit is unpredictable. There’s only one hour of free practice, the weather can shift in minutes, and strategy plays a huge role. Max thrives in chaos.”
The Briton compared Brazil to Austin earlier in the year, where Verstappen dominated the sprint shootout and converted it into pole position for Sunday’s race. “That was classic Max,” Palmer said. “He finds something extra when the pressure rises.”
The McLaren threat
While McLaren remains the car to beat, Palmer notes that the gap between Verstappen and Oscar Piastri has shrunk dramatically. “It’s getting tighter every weekend,” he said. “It’s hard to point to a race where Red Bull clearly had the fastest car, but Max has maximised everything.”
That, more than anything, defines Verstappen’s season: perfection through adversity. In a year where McLaren’s upgrades have made headlines, Verstappen’s driving has been the true development story.
So where has Red Bull been stronger? “Monza was probably their best weekend,” Palmer explained. “In Singapore, Max beat the McLarens even though they had the faster car. You could see it in race pace. Baku was messy, Oscar crashed, and Lando got stuck in traffic. And Mexico is a bit of an outlier because of the altitude. But in Brazil, things might swing back. The layout, the elevation – it could suit Red Bull again.”
“McLaren are scared of him”
What’s clear is that McLaren can feel Verstappen’s presence looming over them. “They’re scared of him,” Palmer admitted. “If he wins one or two races before the final round, that’s it. He’s the type of driver who builds unstoppable momentum.”
The Dutchman’s recent performances have done little to ease their nerves. In Mexico, he climbed through the field and almost finished second, a drive that reminded everyone of his ruthless efficiency. “That was unbelievable,” Palmer said. “And it plays to his biggest strength: his mindset. Max’s mental toughness is terrifying for the McLaren drivers.”
The psychology of a champion
What makes Verstappen so formidable isn’t just speed, it’s the way he carries himself when everything is on the line. He rarely panics, never points fingers, and often turns setbacks into fuel. It’s the same trait that defined Schumacher and Hamilton in their peak years.
Verstappen’s resilience has been forged through years of expectation. Even when Red Bull’s car faltered, he found ways to win or limit the damage. He knows how to extract every ounce from machinery that isn’t perfect. That’s why people like Palmer see this campaign not as a season of struggle, but as a masterclass in survival.
Brazil: the perfect stage
Interlagos has a history of defining championships. It’s where Hamilton stole his first title in 2008, where Senna wrote his legend in the rain, and where Verstappen himself has produced some of his most dazzling drives. The sprint format adds extra spice – more points, more risk, and more opportunities for a title twist.
If Verstappen wins here, the tone of the entire championship changes. Suddenly, the impossible comeback feels inevitable.
The legacy angle
Should Verstappen pull it off, Palmer believes the season would redefine his career. “He’s already one of the all-time greats,” he said, “but winning this one, this fight against the odds – would be special. It would show that even when the car isn’t dominant, Max can still bend a championship to his will.”
That’s what separates the great from the legends. Championships won with ease are remembered; championships won through defiance are immortalised.
The final charge
Verstappen enters Brazil with quiet confidence. Red Bull have brought subtle upgrades, and the team senses a shift in momentum. McLaren may still lead the standings, but the psychological tide is turning.
If the Dutchman delivers again this weekend, it won’t just be another victory. It will be a statement that even in the toughest season of his career, Max Verstappen is still the benchmark, and still capable of rewriting the script.
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