Ecclestone: Verstappen the special one, McLaren favour Norris

Former Formula 1 supremo Ecclestone claims Verstappen’s class will prevail once again, while accusing McLaren of favouring Norris over Piastri in the closing stages of the season. Both are in it to win their first title

Meanwhile, Red Bull's Dutch ace is aiming to make it five Formula 1 world titles in a row. A feat only ever accomplished by the great Michael Schumacher from 2000 to 2004.

“I believe Max will win and do it again,” Ecclestone told sport.de in an interview with RTL/ntv. “He has that special, extraordinary quality. And the next race is Brazil, where the weather is unpredictable, with rain as well. Verstappen will handle that well.”

While Norris leads the championship by a single point over Piastri with four races to go, Verstappen sits 36 points behind in third and remains in striking distance of a fourth consecutive crown.

Ecclestone said: “The McLaren drivers are good, and their car is great, but Verstappen is the special one, the best racer, not a politician but a true racing driver.”

The 95-year-old also questioned McLaren’s polemics, suggesting Zak Browen's team has tilted support towards Norris: “It looks that way. McLaren has been favouring Norris in the second half of the season."

He argued that Piastri, who led the standings early in the year, has since been “clearly faster” but “slowed down more often, using various methods,” though Ecclestone declined to give examples.

“McLaren prefers the English driver, Norris. He has more star appeal, more marketing value, more camera presence and public attention. That is probably better for McLaren,” he said.

The so-called “Papaya Rules” inside McLaren, according to Ecclestone, has had an impact: “You can see that it frustrates Piastri, it exhausts him, and the discussions about it annoy him. The pressure keeps rising, and Oscar is irritated that he can no longer win races as easily as before and that Norris is obviously being favoured within the team.”

As the championship heads to Interlagos for the Brazilian Grand Prix, Ecclestone’s prediction places Verstappen as the driver to beat once again. “He’s the special one. The others are very good, but Max is the best racer of them all.”