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The Drift
Night Fight in Singapore: McLaren's Coronation on Hold as Verstappen's Revival Faces Its Ultimate Test
While the Constructors' title is a foregone conclusion, the Drivers' Championship has been unexpectedly blown wide open. In just two races, Verstappen has slashed his deficit to championship leader Piastri from 104 points to a much more manageable 69. This dramatic turnaround has forced the paddock to re-evaluate what seemed impossible. Commentary from BBC Sport and Sky Sports F1 has shifted from discussing the Piastri-Norris duel to seriously debating whether Verstappen is a legitimate title contender. While the paddock is abuzz, some analysts, like former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, remain skeptical, pointing out that Red Bull's recent dominance came on low-downforce circuits. Singapore's high-downforce nature is seen as the "true test" of the RB21's all-around capability. The man himself remains characteristically pragmatic. "Seven races to go and it's still 69 points, it's a lot," Verstappen told Sky Sports F1 after his Baku triumph, adding in the official press conference, "I don't rely on hope". Yet, his rivals are taking the threat seriously. McLaren's Stella warned that Red Bull is now "a very serious contender," while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff cautioned, "Max Verstappen you always need to be wary of what he can achieve, especially if he's seeing that it's actually back on the cards".
