Bullish Lando Norris insists he would give Max Verstappen ‘a run for his money’

Lando Norris opens up on mental health struggles in F1 career

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Lando Norris believes he would be challenging Max Verstappen for the world title right now if he was driving a better car. It’s been a breakthrough season at McLaren for Norris, 21, who has notched four podium finishes and currently lies fifth in the drivers’ standings, having been as high as third earlier in the season.

At September’s Russian Grand Prix, the British star notched his first ever pole position, and was leading the Grand Prix in Sochi before heavy showers came late in the race.

Norris and his team gambled with trying to stay out on dry-weather tyres but the decision backfired, and he eventually finished seventh after giving up the lead to Lewis Hamilton.

Norris is only a point behind fourth-placed Sergio Perez in the standings, but despite being nearly 140 points behind Perez’s Red Bull teammate and overall leader Verstappen, he firmly believes that gap could have been breached in different circumstances.

When asked by Formula1news.com if he could be in contention for the title with a better vehicle, he replied “100 per cent, I believe I could give Max a run for his money.

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“There are just different scenarios and situations where experience comes into play and you think ‘maybe he would have the upper hand on me in that scenario’ and I believe he (Verstappen) is one of the best drivers ever in Formula 1.

“I think he has proven that since he joined when he was 16 or 17 years old.”

To the surprise of many, Bristol-born Norris has out-performed new teammate Daniel Ricciardo in 2021, who arrived on the back of a five-year stint with Red Bull.

It’s the Australian who has notched McLaren’s only win this year, when he and Norris completed a team one-two in Monza, but he trails his less experienced partner by 44 points in the standings.

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The pair currently have McLaren third in the Constructors’ race, but there is just a four-point gap between the British team and fourth-placed Ferrari.

”I guess with the addition of Danny coming into the team, there were a lot more eyes on what I’m going to be like versus Danny rather than the opposite way around,” added Norris.

Despite his apparent desire to be in a more competitive car, it doesn’t appear that Norris will be leaving McLaren anytime soon though, having signed a multi-year contract extension with the team in May this year.

The deal ensures that Norris will again be partnered with Ricciardo in 2022.

At the time, the Norris took to Instagram to say: “My goal is to win races and world championships and over the last three years McLaren have shown me that they’re able to build a car for me to do that in.

“I had my first podium with McLaren and I’ll have my first win with McLaren. Let’s continue what we started.”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown previously described Norris as “one of the brightest talents on the F1 grid.”

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