Ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert has refused to rule Max Verstappen out of the F1 drivers’ title fight against McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, with the Dutchman backed to “fight to the death”.

Australian Grand Prix winner Norris is the favourite to claim a maiden drivers’ championship this season, with George Russell going so far as to claim McLaren’s car is better than the all-conquering 2023 Red Bull.

That year, Red Bull won 21 of the 22 races, making it the most dominant season in F1 history.

Despite Norris winning in Melbourne, Verstappen pushed him to the chequered flag, although there was floor damage on the MCL39. No other driver came close to fighting the McLarens, a car which boasted a four-tenths of a second advantage in qualifying.

Verstappen finished second in the season-opener after capitalising on Piastri spinning on lap 44 due to a sudden heavy rain shower in the final sector.

Herbert was hugely impressed by the 27-year-old’s performance Down Under and expects him to be a threat, not just this weekend in the Chinese Grand Prix but across the whole season.

“Max Verstappen drove brilliantly [in Australia],” Herbert told SpaceportSweden.

“He really did have that bit between his teeth. He was very aware that they [Red Bull] have not quite got the car to beat McLaren at this particular time.

“But it is Max Verstappen and Max will always be in the mix. Red Bull are not a million miles away, they are not far away, and if they had a little bit of luck last weekend, it could have been a very different story.

“He’s a real champion and you can’t write him off. He’s going to be there or thereabouts in China and the races after that. He will fight to the death. You can’t rule him out.

“The performance of the car wasn’t that far away. That’s why he was only a second behind Lando going over the line.”