Lando Norris and Max Verstappen Engage in F1 Championship Rivalry

Lando Norris has challenged Max Verstappen‘s suggestion that winning the Formula 1 world title is “unrealistic” for Red Bull. Norris, currently 52 points behind Verstappen with six races remaining and 180 points up for grabs, believes Verstappen’s comments were made to “make himself feel better.” As reported by RacingNews365, the McLaren driver admitted it would be difficult to overtake Verstappen but maintained that Verstappen remains the favorite to clinch the championship.

“That is just Max saying what he wants to say,” Norris stated to the media, including RacingNews365. “I would much rather be in his position than in my position, and as soon as Red Bull can figure out where they’ve gone wrong, I expect them to win a few races, to be fixing their problems, and come back strong again.” Despite McLaren’s recent performance, Verstappen’s recent second-place finish in Singapore demonstrated his resilience following a less successful outcome at the Italian Grand Prix, which Red Bull termed their worst race of the year.

Meanwhile, former Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner expressed his view that Norris is currently in a “better position” than Verstappen for this year’s title. In an interview with Sky Sports, Steiner suggested a 60:40 favor for Norris and emphasized the importance of Ferrari potentially disrupting Red Bull’s momentum. “Lando needs a little help from Ferrari,” he remarked, highlighting the competitive dynamics in the championship race.

Verstappen’s recent controversies continue, as he was mandated by the FIA to perform “public interest” duties following the use of an expletive during a press conference in Singapore. Steiner, known for his candidness, defended Verstappen’s remarks, asserting that the penalty was excessive. Reflecting on the incident, Steiner stated, “What started off as a big controversy could have been dealt with a lot better.”

Steiner’s career, marked by his departure from Haas after a decade, continues in a less publicized role as a specialist commentator. While reflecting on his tenure, Steiner admitted frustration with the team’s direction under Gene Haas, leading to his exit. “If the right opportunity comes up, I’m back,” he hinted, suggesting a potential return to Formula 1 in the future.