"That Max Verstappen boy will be in a world championship winning team before he's 20": When Martin Brundle prophesied the driver's career success

Red Bull star driver Max Verstappen made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso (now VCARB) at the 2015 Australian GP. Just three races into the season, F1 pundit and reporter Martin Brundle prophesied that the Dutchman would be in a championship-winning car within three years.

Verstappen, during his first season in the FIA F3 championship (2014), finished third. The Dutchman was signed by the Red Bull family and made his debut for Toro Rosso at just 17 years of age. Verstappen impressed everyone in his debut season and laid the foundations to become a future champion, scoring 49 points with a midfield-backmarker team.

Martin Brundle, during the third race of Max Verstappen's F1 career, i.e., the 2015 Chinese GP, suggested that the Dutchman had a Senna and Schumacher-like aura about him. The F1 pundits on the live broadcast of the race said:

“That Verstappen boy will be at a world championship-winning team before he's 20, potentially a world championship winning team. He's showing all the hallmarks of a Senna, of a Schumacher, in my view.

“This kind of young guy, but old head on his shoulders. He'll make mistakes, of course he'll make mistakes. But he's got the speed and he's just not showing a lack of experience.”

Martin Brundle’s prediction aged well, as Max Verstappen was called upon by Red Bull to replace Daniel Kvyat at Red Bull Racing midway through the 2016 F1 season. Although Red Bull didn't have the championship-winning potential, they had a car capable of winning a race when the Mercedes duo had a tough day at the office.

That is exactly what Verstappen did in his first race for Red Bull Racing (2016 Spanish GP), where Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg crashed on Lap 1 and the Dutchman capitalized and won his first ever F1 race.

Although Mercedes dominated until the 2020 F1 season, Max Verstappen was, on most occasions, the third fastest driver. With the changes made to the floor regulations for the 2021 F1 season, Red Bull clawed back ground to Mercedes, and Verstappen was able to beat Lewis Hamilton for his first F1 championship.

Max Verstappen's dominance is under threat from the McLaren duo

Max Verstappen won the 2021 F1 championship on the final lap at the Abu Dhabi GP. With the new regulations introduced for the 2022 season, Red Bull brought a dominant car, which started showing its true dominance six race weekends into the season.

Verstappen won the 2022 championship and dominated the 2023 season, taking 19 out of 22 wins. The Dutchman got in a somewhat close fight with Lando Norris for the 2024 title, but won the title in the penultimate race.

F1 Grand Prix of Spain - Source: Getty

McLaren came into the 2025 season with a dominant race car. Yet, Verstappen has been able to clinch a couple of wins away from the Papaya team. However, Oscar Piastri leads the championship with Norris in second and Verstappen P3.