Max Verstappen says F1 championship would ‘easily’ be over if he had Lando Norris’ car
Red Bull’s four-time world champion also says the McLaren driver will be feeling the pressure of trying to close out his maiden title
Max Verstappen has told Lando Norris that if he were driving his McLaren, the world championship would “easily” be over.
In an interview with the Press Association published on Friday ahead of this weekend’s pivotal Qatar Grand Prix, Red Bull’s Verstappen said Norris would be feeling the pressure of trying to close out his maiden Formula One title.
The four-time world champion also revealed he remained in close contact with Christian Horner – admitting he speaks to the former Red Bull principal at every race – and claimed age was a factor behind Lewis Hamilton’s troubled first year at Ferrari.
Verstappen had fallen 104 points off the championship pace, but he heads into the final two rounds just 24 points adrift of Norris. Norris’ McLaren team secured the constructors’ championship in Azerbaijan in September.
“Your dream is to win a championship and that is when the pressure is on,” Verstappen told PA.
“It was the same for me when I was fighting for my first title. You definitely feel more pressure of being in that fight and thinking ‘this is my chance’ and not knowing if you will get another one.