Lando Norris has hit back at Max Verstappen’s recent comments, suggesting the Red Bull driver “should start doing comedy” after Verstappen claimed he could have won the 2024 Formula 1 world title driving for McLaren.
Verstappen, who secured his fourth world championship at last weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, made headlines by suggesting that the McLaren car was faster for much of the season and that he would have wrapped up the title earlier had he been driving for the team.
“He can say whatever he wants. Of course, I completely disagree, as I would,” Norris said. “He’s good, but yeah. It’s not true.”
While Verstappen’s dominance throughout the season, including a streak of four wins from the first five races, built an insurmountable lead, Norris acknowledged that McLaren had indeed closed the performance gap in the second half of the season. However, he pointed out that for much of the year, the Red Bull was the faster car, particularly in the early races when McLaren was struggling with performance.
Norris reflected on the season, admitting that while McLaren had the quicker car for a large portion of the year, he felt his own mistakes had cost him valuable points. Despite this, he expressed confidence that McLaren could challenge for the title in 2025, marking the first time in his career he would enter a season with a realistic shot at the championship.
“McLaren have turned the tables in the second half of the season,” Norris said. “But when Max was winning, I was fifth, sixth. It’s been a lot closer recently, but I’m confident we can challenge for the title next year.”
Norris also highlighted the challenges Verstappen faces in having to carry the team without a teammate pushing him for performance. “He doesn’t have someone who’s trying other things with the car, so the data’s not as valuable when you don’t have someone performing at the same level,” Norris explained.
Verstappen’s dominance has been clear, having finished ahead of his teammate, Sergio Perez, by a wide margin throughout the season. Meanwhile, Norris has had to contend with teammate Oscar Piastri, who has claimed two wins to Norris’ three.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also weighed in on Verstappen’s comments, acknowledging the Dutchman’s exceptional driving ability but suggesting it was “difficult to say” how Verstappen would have performed in a McLaren or Ferrari without firsthand experience of those cars.
As the season heads into its final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, McLaren is focused on securing its first constructors’ title since 1998, while Ferrari, 24 points behind in the standings, is hoping to secure its first championship since 2008. Despite the team rivalries, Norris’s comments reflect the growing sense of anticipation as the competition heats up for next year’s title.
