Revealed: The favourite to win the 2027 F1 title

The 2026 Formula 1 season still has three races to go – Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi – but with both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles decided, the focus has already moved on to the next season.

While Kimi Antonelli’s domination this year has come as something of a surprise, Mercedes winning the team title has not. The 20-year-old Italian showed maturity well beyond his years to leave the rest of the field in his wake, becoming the youngest world champion in history.

One driver though, has held his own, especially in the latter part of the season. At the Sao Paulo GP, while Mclaren’s Lando Norris won the race and Mercedes clinched the teams' title, it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who delivered the loudest message for 2027 and beyond.

The 29-year-old Dutchman produced a now-familiar spectacular drive from 21st on the grid to finish second behind McLaren's 26-year-old Briton and ahead of his team-mate Isack Hadjar. After the race, team Principal Laurent Mekies said: “As always, I think no sim in the world would predict that you go from P21 to P2, or that you get 14 places in five laps. There is no sim being able to do that. So, he's beating the sim on a regular basis!”

With his eighth consecutive podium and 10th in 11 outings along with three wins in the last five races, the four-time world champion confirmed he is not only a man for all seasons, and circuits, but also that he and Red Bull will be the team to beat next year.

Confident in his car and team after a year of upheaval following the departure of Christian Horner, Verstappen is back to his best, if not in even better shape thanks to a settled family life and relaxed approach to his work.

During Saturday's 90-minute stoppage for rain in qualifying, he retreated to rescue some fun from what he called "a wasted day" as he knew that wherever he qualified he would start Sunday's race from the back of the grid.

So, while others studied computer screens and analysed data, he watched English football on TV.

"A lot of different games," he said.

"But Nottingham Forest and Manchester City was the last one before I got back into the car. It was 3-1 and actually, I saw a great goal just before I climbed in."

It demonstrated how easily Verstappen glides from racer to normal bloke.

On Sunday, he gave his helmet to Ole Schack, the departing front-end mechanic for his car and a Red Bull lifer after 20 years. He had been busy as Verstappen had a new power unit fitted and took a penalty.

Speaking of Schack, who is returning to Denmark for a quieter life, Verstappen was succinct. "He's unbelievable."

In return, the mechanic said: "Max is an incredibly relaxed guy when he's not in the car. He enjoys a laugh and he's great to be around.

"He's like Ronaldo or Messi. But in an F1 car, he has that little bit extra that you simply cannot teach."

No longer the 'Mad Max' of his early Red Bull years, this matured version is a master of his craft and ready for more success with a team-mate who offers serious support.

So, as the 2026 F1 season winds down in Abu Dhabi on December 6, where Verstappen will most likely cement his No 2 spot in the Drivers’ standings, it will take a brave man to bet against unarguably the finest driver of this generation winning his fifth world title.