Norris Questions Verstappen’s Assertions Amid Qatar GP Build-Up
Qatar Grand Prix, Thursday – As the Qatar Grand Prix weekend approached, Lando Norris responded to Max Verstappen’s claims about potentially having secured multiple championships in a McLaren. The four-time world champion suggested that despite being currently 24 points behind Norris in the standings, his competitive status reflects failures of others rather than individual merit.
Verstappen, addressing the media on Thursday, remarked, “We are in this fight still because of other people’s failures, not because of – if you look at the whole of the season – what we did. If we had the car’s dominance, the championship would have been over a long time ago.”
Norris, who secured a third-place finish in the Sprint with Verstappen in fourth, noted that while he was aware of Verstappen’s closeness in the early laps, he remained focused on managing his tires and competing with George Russell. “Max was never too much of a threat at all,” he asserted.
While acknowledging Verstappen’s achievements and status in the sport, Norris added, “Max is very welcome to say everything he wants… he’s achieved an incredible amount… but there are also many things he doesn’t have much of a clue about.” He attributed these remarks to Red Bull’s “aggressive nature” and urged a focus on continuous improvement rather than rhetoric.
Verstappen’s previous comments, made a year ago, reiterated his belief that he could have won titles sooner in McLaren, prompting Norris to deflect the assertions humorously, stating, “He should start doing comedy… I disagree, as I would. He’s good, but, yeah, it’s not true.”
As the weekend progresses, both drivers remain at the forefront of a heated championship battle, with the narrative shifting towards their respective team strategies and performances in the face of intense competition.
