Despite Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton being two of the most experienced drivers on the grid, Max Verstappen refused to select them as his drivers even in a hypothetical situation. The Dutchman was asked “hypothetically” to pick drivers for his team, and even though he is good friends with Alonso and Hamilton is a 7-time world champion, Verstappen snubbed the iconic duo.
During a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Verstappen was asked to pick two drivers for his team if he was a team principal. Speaking on this, the Dutchman said, “Myself and Lando. He’s still young, with a long career ahead of him. And he can also be very, very fast.”
He added, “Without myself, I’d take Lando and Oscar. So, the McLaren pairing. I think Oscar is a fast rookie.” Notably, Lando Norris had the best year in F1 in 2023 since his debut in the sport. Therefore, Verstappen picking his McLaren driver friend is not out of the box.
“We started the year pretty terribly…but ended it pretty well.”@LandoNorris on being named British Competition Driver of the Year at the 2023 #AutosportAwards pic.twitter.com/jRpV8OZmgh
— Autosport (@autosport) December 3, 2023
Norris finished the season with 205 points and took P6 in the Drivers’ Championship despite starting the year very slowly. On the other hand, Piastri, the star rookie of this season, also exceeded expectations in 2023. He claimed multiple podiums and especially took the Rookie of the Year by the FIA for the second time. Nevertheless, Norris and Piastri are pretty statistical choices by Verstappen for his team when he is not driving.
However, can the Dutchman become a team principal and have his team in the future? Verstappen has often spoken about his interest in establishing his own team in GT3 starting in 2025. He has also been trying to create a ladder for professional sim racers to find their way to the racing tracks.
McLaren and their mega rise in 2023
McLaren started their year off in the worst possible way and had zero points after two races in 2023. Outscoring Aston Martin, who were flying high at the time, in the championship seemed unachievable for McLaren. But the British team bounced back after the Austrian GP and ended the season on a high note. They have even sparked hopes and speculations about them being able to fight for the championship in the next season.
“It’s been a remarkable year.”@OscarPiastri gives thanks after winning this year’s Rookie of the Year award.#AutosportAwards pic.twitter.com/OJjVZ0wJ4t
— Autosport (@autosport) December 3, 2023
Norris and Piastri brought a total of 302 points to McLaren and helped them secure fourth in the constructors’ championship, 22 points ahead of Aston Martin in P5. The duo even won several podiums, while Piastri scored a win at the Sprint race in Qatar.
As things stand, McLaren is only expected to get better from this season. Therefore, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in their wings in 2024, they can be a serious contender for wins and go head-to-head against Red Bull.
