After a season of highs and lows marked by uncertainty, Max Verstappen clinched his fourth World Championship with a P5 finish at last weekend’s Las Vegas GP. Despite the challenges posed by the RB20, he stood his ground and successfully defended against Lando Norris’ relentless push for the crown. When asked whether he could have secured the title more comfortably in Norris’ McLaren, the Dutchman confidently stated he would have wrapped it up even sooner.
Norris, however, disagreed. “No, definitely not. I mean, no one ever in the history of Formula One has come back from the size of deficit I had,” the Bristol-born driver said.
Verstappen began the season in dominant fashion, winning seven of the first 10 races. It was only when Red Bull’s performance began to dip that Norris entered the title conversation.
Lando Norris on the suggestion that Max would have won the championship in the McLaren
“No, definitely not”
“I mean, no one ever in the history of Formula One has come back from the size of deficit I had”[https://t.co/OypQ1BczyT] pic.twitter.com/QISkxOqFpK
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) November 25, 2024
Norris scored his first F1 win in Miami, and from thereon, was made to be a title contender. However, the gap to Verstappen never got particularly close, with Norris managing to narrow it to just 47 points at best. In his mind, Verstappen was simply too far ahead by the time he got a winning car at his disposal.
While Norris had opportunities to close the gap—or even surpass Verstappen—team errors and intense intra-team battles with Oscar Piastri ultimately held him back.
The 27-year-old’s lead, currently at 61 points, is unassailable with still two races remaining.
Norris can still guide McLaren to silverware
Since the Spanish GP, the MCL38 has set the benchmark for the field. However, things changed for the Woking-based team after the Azerbaijan GP. Their ‘mini-DRS’ flexi-wing concept caught the attention of rivals, who quickly reported it to the FIA. Following the governing body’s clampdown, both Piastri and Norris experienced a noticeable drop in pace. Since Baku, the Woking outfit has managed only one victory.
That said, history could still be made by the team in Abu Dhabi. McLaren currently sits atop the Constructors’ Championship, a title they haven’t claimed since 1998. Zak Brown will be determined to maintain their lead heading into the final two races of the season.
However, Ferrari is hot on their heels. Having reduced the gap to just 24 points, the Scuderia has been on a relentless charge since the summer break, aiming to end their 16-year title drought.
