Verstappen calls it: 'These drivers have the talent to become champion'

Max Verstappen will start the new Formula 1 season as the big favourite. He will have to look over his shoulder, though, as Ferrari and Mercedes are expected to be competitive again. Speaking to Sky Sports, Verstappen tells which drivers he thinks have it in them to become champions, provided they have the right equipment.

The two-time world champion expects Lewis Hamilton could give him a hard time again if he has a winning car, but he adds several names to the list. Apart from Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, he thinks Lando Norris and George Russell also have enough talent to take the top prize.

"He [Hamilton] is one of the greatest drivers ever in the sport, so for sure, if he has the car to do it he can fight for the title again. But that's the same for George, Charles, and Lando. If you give them a car which is capable of winning a championship, they can," judges Verstappen.

Then, once you have a winning car, you have to know how to turn it into results. "Then the pressure comes, you can't afford big mistakes. But I'm confident that once these guys are to get into a role like that, it is all possible. They all have the talent to do so," Verstappen said.