“That’s Going to Have Red Bull Scared”: Nico Rosberg Backs Lando Norris to Beat Max Verstappen for Title

“That’s Going to Have Red Bull Scared”: Nico Rosberg Backs Lando Norris to Beat Max Verstappen for Title

Lando Norris clinched the third Grand Prix win of his career at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 22. After the McLaren driver defeated title rival Max Verstappen convincingly for the win, Sky Sports F1 analyst Nico Rosberg has backed the Briton to win the title this year.

Verstappen still has a 52-point lead in the standings. While many believe that the deficit is still too much for Norris to overturn in the remaining six races, Rosberg explained that Norris‘ statement victory in Singapore might have Red Bull concerned.

Rosberg was quoted as saying, “More than the win, it’s that performance and the speed today. That’s going to have Red Bull scared because with this speed to the end of the year, it’s really realistic Lando can win all the races to the end of the year and for Max to come second is so difficult, it seems. The world championship is still on.”

Norris crossed the chequered flag with a whopping 20.9-second margin over the Dutchman. And though he held an extra point for the fastest lap, that was eventually taken away by Daniel Ricciardo on the very last lap.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown revealed that the pit wall did not inform the #4 driver that he had lost the fastest lap point. “We thought best not to,” revealed the 52-year-old.

Verstappen was surprised but not disappointed with Singapore GP result

Going into the weekend, Verstappen was aware that Norris had the faster package underneath him. However, the level of dominance the Briton showcased during the Grand Prix left the Dutchman surprised.

In the cool-down room after the race, the #1 driver even joked with Norris about his pace. Speaking with the McLaren driver, Verstappen was heard saying, “I thought you were going to lap me!”

The Grand Prix was more about damage limitation for the Dutchman, however. And even though he finished miles behind the MCL38 of Norris, Verstappen was happy that he was able to secure P2 and the points that go with it.

Verstappen stated that the win was never on the cards for him. “My race was just by myself, do the best I could and manage my own race. On a weekend we knew we were going to struggle, P2 is a good achievement.”

Post Edited By: Vidit Dhawan
Lando Norris Max Verstappen McLaren Nico Rosberg Red Bull Singapore GP

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

Don’t miss these