Max Verstappen has been tipped to go one better than his 2016 title challenge when the F1 season starts on 22 March.
In a poll conducted by the New York Times, readers picked Verstappen as having the best shot of taking the world championship, beating Lewis Hamilton.
In line with other F1 champions, Verstappen won’t claim it until Mercedes’ four-time world champion crashes and Mercedes’ dominant drivers fail to qualify in the top 10 on the grid, because the rules dictate that Verstappen needs to finish at least 10th to win the championship.
The Dutchman has a big chance to do so in Australia on Sunday as the Red Bull can’t compete with Mercedes’ speed unless he’s actually hitting the front with a car that won’t get him knocked out.
What the readers said about each driver in relation to their past performances.
#StochorMax Verstappen: Past race and podiums
Verstappen • 1 consecutive podium in China (2014, 2015) • 1 podium in Malaysia (2014) • 1 consecutive podium in Canada (2014, 2015) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2015) • 2 podiums in Malaysia (2014, 2016) • 2 consecutive podiums in Belgium (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Italy (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Russia (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Spain (2016) • 0 podiums in Brazil (2017) • 0 podiums in Singapore (2017) • 0 podiums in Malaysia (2017) • 0 podiums in Bahrain (2017) • 0 podiums in Bahrain (2017) • 0 podiums in Russia (2017) • 0 podiums in Mexico (2017) • 0 podiums in China (2017) • 0 podiums in Australia (2017) • 0 podiums in Malaysia (2017) • 0 podiums in Canada (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Monaco (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Belgium (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Brazil (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in China (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Bahrain (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Malaysia (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in France (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Spain (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Brazil (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in China (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Malaysia (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in France (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Spain (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2016) • 1 consecutive podium in Australia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Bahrain (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Malaysia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Australia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Bahrain (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Malaysia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Russia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Brazil (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in China (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Malaysia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Australia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Russia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Mexico (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Abu Dhabi (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in the United States (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Malaysia (2017) • 1 consecutive podium in Singapore (2017)