Max Verstappen enters the Formula 1 grid as the primary favorite for the 2027 drivers’ world championship, according to 1996 world champion Damon Hill.
Hill pointed to the development of Red Bull Racing and its own motor as factors behind the team’s position, F1 Maximaal.nl reported.
“Zoals de zaken er nu voorstaan, zou ik hem aanwijzen als mijn favoriet voor de wereldtitel bij de coureurs volgend jaar,” Damon Hill said on The F1 Show.
Development Pace Underpins Red Bull Advantage
Red Bull endured a difficult start to the current campaign but recovered ground through mid-season upgrades to the RB22. Hill highlighted the progress made by Red Bull in constructing an effective power unit entirely from scratch.
The Briton said that the speed at which the team closed the gap to its rivals was particularly noteworthy, especially considering the team is in its first season manufacturing its own engine. He added that the squad remained competitive while transitioning from a 2025 car design—which featured a completely different concept—to the current year's machine, demonstrating operational efficiency.
“Wat Red Bull Powertrains heeft gedaan, is ongelooflijk. Om helemaal vanaf nul te beginnen en vervolgens een auto te produceren die zo effectief is, is echt indrukwekkend,” Damon Hill said.
Tightening Field Awaits 2027 Grid
Despite naming Verstappen the favorite, Hill anticipates a closely contested championship battle involving four distinct front-running teams.
“Normaal gesproken zie je dat de teams pas in derde of vierde jaar van een reglementencyclus naar elkaar toe groeien. Nu is het al zo competitief dat vier verschillende teams tijdens een raceweekend vooraan kunnen meedoen,” Hill said.
Mercedes engineering director Andrew Shovlin recently said that long periods of team dominance have become virtually impossible under the current financial and technical constraints. Ferrari possesses a competitive chassis but continues to grapple with power unit performance deficits. Hill expressed uncertainty regarding what the Italian team might be able to change in that area for the upcoming season.
Hadjar Secures Future at Red Bull
Alongside Verstappen, Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché addressed the trajectory of teammate Isack Hadjar during an interview with RacingNews365. Hadjar currently sits eighth in the drivers’ standings with 122 points after securing podium finishes in Monaco, Baku, and Brazil. The 22-year-old French-Algerian driver also achieved a fifth-place finish in Bahrain.
Despite missing three races due to a broken wrist and facing several engine-related setbacks, his performance has led to comparisons with previous teammates of Verstappen—including Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly, Sergio Pérez, and Liam Lawson—who struggled to perform alongside the Dutchman.
Waché said that the team was looking for a strong second driver to support its constructor championship efforts. He said that while the system creates challenges, Hadjar is currently in the right position.
“Eerst moet hij voor zichzelf bepalen wat hij nodig heeft om snel te zijn,” Pierre Waché said.
Hadjar previously apologized to Verstappen after a difficult wet-weather stint at Interlagos required a position swap to aid Verstappen’s chase of race winner Lando Norris. During that race, Hadjar struggled with grip and nearly collided with his crew during a pit stop.
“Dus ja, hij zit op de juiste plek, en voor mij is hij de toekomst van het team,” Pierre Waché said.
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