Oct.28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone expects Max Verstappen to win the increasingly tight battle for second place behind Kimi Antonelli in the 2026 world championship.
George Russell currently holds second with 242 points, just one ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with Verstappen on 236 and Charles Leclerc on 233.
But Ecclestone, who turned 96 on Wednesday, told Blick newspaper he expects Verstappen to emerge ahead of them.
“Max will finish second in the World Championship,” the former F1 supremo said.
Ecclestone, though, is already looking beyond that battle to a possible Verstappen-Antonelli showdown next year.
“Fans can already look forward to 2027 when the impeccable and super-fast sportsman Antonelli competes against Verstappen,” he said.
But he added one condition.
“Max will need a car that works from the very first race. Not like this season!”