Strange things can happen in Formula 1. Just ask Max Verstappen, who couldn't believe his luck when McLaren handed him a way into the 2025 title fight on a silver platter. Although he eventually missed out by two points to Lando Norris, he was essentially battling with one hand behind his back in an inferior car.
But this year's fight has a distinctly different feel to it. Dominant championship leader Kimi Antonelli has shown fewer, if any, signs of weakness. Mercedes has executed race weekends at a high level - as opposed to rival Ferrari, for example - and it appears to have nixed the most pressing reliability gremlins with the power unit.
