Alex Palou is convinced that Max Verstappen would have dominated the Formula 1 World Championship in 2025 with McLaren. The Spanish IndyCar star believes the Dutchman could have secured the title well before the season finale.
In 2025, Verstappen faced a Red Bull that was no longer the powerhouse it had been in previous years. The four-time world champion seemed to have little chance of clinching a fifth title halfway through the season, yet he managed to keep McLaren and title rival Lando Norris under pressure until the very last race. In the end, Verstappen fell just two points short of denying Norris the championship.
The Dutchman had previously hinted that he would have easily won the championship with McLaren. Palou fully agrees, stating, “If Max Verstappen had driven for McLaren in 2025, he would have been world champion two months before the end of the season. I am absolutely convinced of that. Max is, in my opinion, the only driver on the grid capable of such a feat.”
Contractual Conflict
Palou, a four-time IndyCar champion and winner of the Indianapolis 500, has limited experience in Formula 1. In 2022, he participated in a practice session for McLaren during the race weekend in Austin. However, a potential further collaboration fell through due to a contractual conflict regarding his IndyCar future.
When asked if he could have been competitive in the 2025 McLaren, Palou remained cautious yet confident. “Would I have become world champion with such a good car as the McLaren? We’ll never know, but I believe in my own abilities, so I should probably say yes,” the Spaniard remarked. “However, I’ve only raced one F1 weekend, so it’s hard to say anything meaningful about it.”
