Brundle makes McLaren shake in their boots with bold Verstappen claim

Brundle, a seasoned voice in the paddock, believes Verstappen is far from finished in this title fight.

“He’s not out of the title fight at all,” Brundle declared to Sky Sports, countering the narrative that Verstappen is on the back foot.

The four-time world champion has seen the increasing pressure from a resurgent McLaren duo and George Russell’s improved form this season. But according to Brundle, the dynamic forming at the front of the grid could actually play into Verstappen’s hands.

“If he gets beaten by George one weekend, Oscar the next weekend and Lando the weekend after that, it almost doesn't matter, if he's second or third,” Brundle explained.

That rotation of rivals winning races, rather than a single dominant challenger, could prove to be Verstappen’s secret weapon. Instead of being consistently beaten by one driver, Verstappen would only need to keep collecting podiums and pounce when opportunities arise.

“He will nick some great wins, like we have already seen twice, and will always somehow pull a podium out of the bag as well. If his rivals start sharing out wins among themselves, he's right in there,” Brundle added.

In a season where consistency could prove more valuable than outright dominance, Verstappen might just be quietly laying the groundwork for a dramatic comeback.

The F1 circus now looks to Austria, Red Bull and Max Verstappen's home turf, where a scintillating drive from the Dutchman may just continue to cut down on the McLaren drivers' championship lead.