On the surface, there’s little difference between how Max Verstappen is dominating the sport and how the likes of Schumacher did before him, but Brundle says one key contrast is that “Lewis [Hamilton] in a Mercedes or Michael in a Ferrari were, for any number of reasons, more popular than Max in a Red Bull”.
Brundle continues: “[Max is] not, for whatever reason, as universally appreciated. British fans would appreciate Senna or Prost in a McLaren and didn’t just wave the Union flag at Mansell all the time.
“Max is brilliant, utterly brilliant, and some of the things he does in the car… Yet the crowd cheered in Melbourne when he fell out of the race [earlier this season].
“I think he’s a nice lad. But when he came in he was elbows out and a bit feisty. You don’t tell the fans what to think, and they know what they like and like what they know. But I think he’s every bit as good as Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton; his talent is beyond outstanding, in the rain especially. I’m pleased to be witnessing it, to be honest.”
The only thing that might stop Red Bull is the major regulation change for 2026 (or the implosion from the Christian Horner controversy) that will increase how much time the cars run on battery power and bring back active aerodynamics.
Brundle says such progress is important because F1 “has to stay relevant for the manufacturers”, and that has enticed Audi to come and Honda to stay. But he is concerned it will make cars “a bit heavier” again.
Other than the size of cars, one change Brundle would like to see is more of them on the grid, not least to give more young drivers a chance to race and learn their craft.
“Back in the day, you could get on the grid and show yourself and how you could perform, and learn your trade slightly out of the spotlight,” he says.
“If it did go wrong, you could tread water somewhere else then get back in, like I did. That’s all gone. We need 24 cars on the grid, that’s what the regulations allow for and that’s what we should have.”