There are comebacks. Then there is what Max Verstappen has done in 2025.
Just a few races ago, he was more than 100 points behind in the Formula 1 title fight. Oscar Piastri was in control. Lando Norris was building a steady lead. People were already talking about a new era without Max on top.
Since Monza, Verstappen has been on a tear. Five wins in eight races. Podiums every weekend. A Sprint win in the United States. Bit by bit, he has dragged himself back into a title race that looked lost. Now, heading into Abu Dhabi, the gap to Norris is only 12 points.
Former F1 driver David Coulthard says it is the greatest comeback since Elvis Presley’s 1968 TV special. Back then, Elvis walked on stage in black leather, faced a world that had moved on from him, and proved he was still the King. Coulthard believes Max will walk into the Abu Dhabi paddock relaxed and smiling, treating this as race one of a fresh season instead of race 24 with everything on the line.
In Abu Dhabi, the rules are simple. If Max wins, Norris must finish third or lower. A podium could be enough. One bad corner, one slow stop, one safety car, and the whole season flips.
Max Verstappen Duets with Elvis Presley Viva Las Vegas on Sky Sports F1 after Winning the Grand Prix
In 1968, after years of safe movies and forgettable songs, he walked onto an NBC stage in a sharp white suit. Under bright red lights, he sang “If I Can Dream” with a kind of raw power that ignored the script and the rules. It was not just a comeback. It was a man proving he still mattered. That same stubborn belief in himself is what makes Verstappen’s late charge in 2025 feel so familiar.
Elvis Presley – If I Can Dream – Show Closer (’68 Comeback Special)
The Elvis comeback did not happen by accident. It was a fight between safe Christmas songs and risky truth, between a controlling manager and a director who believed the King still had more to give. The rehearsals, tension, and bold choices behind “If I Can Dream” turned one TV special into a total rebirth.