Karun Chandhok thinks five-pole driver is ‘absolutely ready’ to fight Max Verstappen for 2025 F1 title

Karun Chandhok has backed McLaren star Lando Norris as the pre-season favourite to win the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ title, but can also see another contender for the fight.

The new campaign is edging ever nearer and could be one of the greatest seasons in history with seven drivers from four teams possibly in the race. Only one pilot in the leading pack is not expected to be in the title mix with Red Bull clear Liam Lawson is Max Verstappen’s No2.

Verstappen can become only the second driver to win the Formula 1 drivers’ championship five times in a row if the Red Bull racer retains his crown this year. Michael Schumacher has the exclusive honour to date via his titles for Ferrari over 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Juan Manuel Fangio (1954-57) and Lewis Hamilton (2017-20) both won four in a row at best, like Verstappen (2021-24) currently has. But while Hamilton is chasing his record eighth title after joining Ferrari, he plus Norris and Verstappen are only three of this year’s contenders.

Karun Chandhok backs George Russell to fight for the 2025 F1 title if Mercedes’ car can

While Chandhok backs Norris as the 2025 F1 title favourite before the term begins on March 16 in Melbourne, the Sky Sports pundit has even thrown his support behind George Russell, as well. But he realises that Russell’s chances will hinge on the car Mercedes have designed.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver George Russell’s life outside F1 from net worth to height

Chandhok recently proposed that Norris will go to the Australian Grand Prix as the early title favourite as McLaren won their first constructors’ title since 1998 last year. But what Russell showed with an inconsistent Mercedes in 2024 proved the Briton is ready to fight for a title.

“I think George is ready, absolutely,” Chandhok told the Mirror. “I think if the car is good enough to be a title contender, then George will deliver.

“I think if you look at the races he put together in Vegas, I actually thought [in] Spa he was unlucky to be disqualified but he did a good job in the race to execute a tricky strategy.

“There were still weekends like Abu Dhabi [where] he was just a little bit behind Lewis, it seemed. Lewis obviously didn’t get [it] together in qualifying, but he seemed to have the measure of George all weekend.

“So, we’ve seen some weekends where George still has been slightly behind Lewis. But ultimately, I think if the opportunity to fight for the title presents itself, then George is absolutely ready to step up to the fight.”

George Russell could be fighting for his Mercedes future and the F1 title in 2025

Russell will expect to be in the race to win the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ title with Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and his new teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli if Mercedes can close their deficit to McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull and stay there all season.

Mercedes proved they could compete with the top three teams at times last season. Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix after Norris and Verstappen crashed and he took the Las Vegas GP win on merit. Hamilton also won the British Grand Prix and inherited it at the Belgian GP.

Russell was disqualified after winning the Belgian GP due to excessive wear to his floor after demanding Mercedes let the 27-year-old do a one-stop strategy. But he later controlled the Las Vegas GP to win from Russell’s fifth career pole position and rarely faced any challenge.

The new season will be a big year for the Briton regardless of his title chances with Russell in the last season of his £12m-a-year Mercedes contract. He can earn up to £18m via bonuses, but the King’s Lynn native’s future is also on the line with that deal set to lapse in December.