Max Verstappen clinched his fourth Drivers’ Championship this season, overcoming significant challenges. The Red Bull driver faced a ten-race winless streak between his victories in Spain and Sao Paulo, primarily due to balance issues that affected the performance and competitiveness of his RB20.
McLaren experienced a remarkable resurgence during the same period, with their MCL38 emerging as a strong contender. Reflecting on the season, Verstappen reportedly commented that he could have achieved the championship “much earlier” if he had been driving the McLaren instead. Now, Lando Norris has retaliated in a recent media interaction, suggesting Verstappen to try comedy.
Tensions Rise As Norris-Verstappen Friendship Faces Strain
Lando Norris has humorously suggested that Max Verstappen might want to consider a career in comedy after the reigning four-time world champion claimed he could have secured this season’s Formula One title driving a McLaren or Ferrari instead of his dominant Red Bull. Verstappen, speaking after clinching his fourth consecutive title in Las Vegas, said that he would have wrapped up the championship much earlier if he had been behind the wheel of Norris’s McLaren. He also noted that driving a Ferrari would have yielded similar results, but driving a Mercedes would have posed more challenges.
Norris, Verstappen’s closest title rival this season, responded to Verstappen’s comments with a light-hearted jab, suggesting that the Dutchman should try comedy. While acknowledging Verstappen’s talent, Norris firmly disagreed with his assessment, stating that it wasn’t true.
Despite Verstappen winning eight races this season, McLaren has been leading the Constructors’ Championship, holding a 24-point lead over Ferrari, with Red Bull sitting third. All four top teams—McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes—have secured one-two finishes in various races, with Mercedes notably triumphing in the cooler conditions of Las Vegas, where their car performed better than in warmer races.
Lando Norris Highlights Differences Between Red Bull And McLaren
Norris also addressed the difference in team dynamics, recognizing that while Verstappen has been outstanding, he’s had to do most of the work on his own, with his teammate, Sergio Perez, struggling to keep up. Norris pointed out that this lack of competition within the team means Verstappen doesn’t have a teammate pushing him to perform at his best, making it harder for him to consistently extract maximum performance from the car. On the other hand, Norris acknowledged that the absence of internal team pressure also means Verstappen has some comfort in not needing to battle with a teammate for supremacy.