Breaking: Lando Norris RETALIATES with defiant Verstappen championship claim as...

Norris Strikes Back with Bold Claim on Verstappen’s Championship Win

Lando Norris has made a defiant claim about Max Verstappen’s 2024 Formula 1 championship victory, suggesting that the Dutchman wouldn’t have claimed the title if he had been in the same position as Norris throughout the season. The two drivers, who share a friendly relationship off the track, were locked in a fierce battle for the championship in 2024. Despite a strong comeback attempt from Norris, Verstappen ultimately secured his fourth consecutive world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The 2024 season has been anything but straightforward for either Verstappen or Norris. While Verstappen dominated the early stages, winning four of the first five races, his Red Bull team struggled significantly in the middle portion of the season. For nearly five months, the Dutchman failed to secure a race victory as McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes began outperforming Red Bull on the track. Red Bull’s form slipped so much that they fell to third in the Constructors’ Championship, with McLaren and Ferrari overtaking them.

Norris, on the other hand, saw his own performance and that of his McLaren team steadily improve as the season progressed. However, despite his efforts and McLaren’s resurgence, he wasn’t able to make a significant enough dent in Verstappen’s early championship lead. A mixture of mistakes from both Norris and McLaren at key moments throughout the year hindered their chances of truly challenging for the title. By the time of the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen secured a crucial victory, the gap between the two drivers had grown to 62 points. This essentially ended Norris’ championship hopes, as Verstappen sealed the title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, two races before the season’s conclusion.

Despite Verstappen’s dominance in securing the title, Norris remains defiant, arguing that the Dutchman wouldn’t have won the championship if he had been in a McLaren instead of a Red Bull. In an interview ahead of the Las Vegas GP, Norris responded to questions about whether Verstappen would have been able to win the title under similar circumstances, dismissing the idea outright.

“No, definitely not,” Norris told The Telegraph when asked if Verstappen could have claimed the championship driving a McLaren. “No one ever in the history of Formula One has come back from the size of deficit I had. No one. Ever. And there have been much bigger swings of performance of cars in the past than there has been now.”

Norris pointed out the significant advantage Red Bull had at the beginning of the season, emphasizing that their early lead was far greater than anything McLaren enjoyed later in the year. He suggested that the gap between Red Bull and their competitors early in the season gave Verstappen a significant head start that was difficult to overcome, even as McLaren’s performance improved.

Verstappen may have led the championship throughout 2024, but it has not been an easy ride for the 62-time race winner. Red Bull, which had been dominant in the previous two seasons, faced stiff competition from McLaren, Ferrari, and occasionally Mercedes. Their struggles in performance, particularly in the second half of the season, saw them slip to third in the Constructors’ standings, making it unlikely that they would retain their championship double from 2022 and 2023.

Despite these setbacks, Verstappen’s ability to remain consistent and collect crucial points during Red Bull’s difficult periods allowed him to stay ahead in the title race. In contrast, Norris’ campaign was marred by mistakes and missteps, which ultimately prevented him from mounting a serious challenge to Verstappen’s crown.

Norris’ statement adds a layer of intrigue to the ongoing rivalry between him and Verstappen. While Norris fell short of his first world title in 2024, he clearly believes that, given the same circumstances, Verstappen wouldn’t have fared any better. As both drivers prepare for the 2025 season, this competitive dynamic is likely to intensify, with Norris eager to challenge Verstappen once again. McLaren’s improvements over the course of 2024 suggest that they could be in a stronger position next year, and if Norris can avoid the mistakes that plagued his 2024 campaign, he may have a real shot at dethroning Verstappen in the near future.