It was a ‘championship battle,’ they said when Lando Norris moved up to P2 in the standings and began chasing down a struggling Max Verstappen. But in the end, Verstappen reigned supreme, with Norris failing to capitalize on the several chances he had to beat his Dutch rival.
With Verstappen securing his fourth consecutive title in Las Vegas on Saturday, Norris had to accept that the #1 driver had been superior all year. Firstly, Norris congratulated Verstappen for winning, stating that he “deserved it more than anyone else”. He then admitted that the Red Bull driver did better than him, despite having a weaker car since the Canadian GP in June.
“Max just doesn’t have a weakness. When he’s got the best car, he dominates and when he’s not got the best car, he is still just there always. He is always there to make your life tough and difficult.”, Norris added in his post-race interview with F1TV.
Lando Norris on F1TV: “I will start off by saying congrats to Max. Yeah, I am disappointed that I am out of it. Max deserved to win it, he drove a better season than we did, then I did. And, yeah, he deserved it more than anyone else. You know, Max just doesn’t have a weakness.”
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 24, 2024
This year, Verstappen has proven that having a fast car doesn’t guarantee race wins and Championships in F1. Despite Red Bull slipping down the pecking order during the European leg of the season, he kept maximizing his results, finishing towards the front of the grid. This kept him in the lead, and Norris at bay.
Meanwhile, Norris missed out on several opportunities to make significant inroads into Verstappen’s championship lead. The #4 driver made multiple mistakes, barring which the battle could have been much closer.
From Miami, where Norris won his first race of the season, to Las Vegas, both he and Verstappen won the same number of Grands Prix (3). This highlights how the Dutchman better utilized his car’s potential to the fullest compared to Norris.
The Briton could still salvage some confidence and learnings from this season’s failed title battle. With McLaren’s upward trajectory, 2025 could be his season.
Will Norris reign supreme in 2025?
Ideally, McLaren would get the top billing for the 2025 season, looking at how they have progressed this year. However, Ferrari’s rise to form could certainly be a potential threat for the Woking-based outfit.
While Norris would want to start 2025 on a dominant note, the pairing of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari could be a big headache for him. On top of that, if McLaren has the fastest package next season, Oscar Piastri cannot be expected to be content with having the number two tag on him.
In fact, Piastri has shown more potential to be McLaren’s next championship contender with his aggression and racecraft. So, Norris will still have a lot of opponents to overcome in 2025.
Additionally, the Bristol-born driver also needs to improve on his race starts among other aspects if he wants to become a champion next season. His poor record off the line has cost him several race wins and crucial points this season.
As for Red Bull and Verstappen, they may start 2025 on the back foot, looking at their current struggles. The RB21 is widely tipped to be an evolution of the RB20, which could be troublesome news for the four-time world champion wanting to defend his title. So, Norris may not have to worry about Verstappen, at least at the start of next season.
