Max Verstappen’s bold claim that he could have clinched the 2024 F1 title sooner in either Lando Norris’s or Charles Leclerc’s car has sparked a fiery response from his title rival, Norris, who has now suggested Verstappen should “start doing comedy.”
The 2024 F1 season has been a fascinating one, starting with Red Bull in a dominant position. Verstappen and his team swept all but one race before heading into the Miami Grand Prix, where he suffered a rare DNF. That’s when McLaren introduced a major upgrade that leveled the playing field, and the Woking-based team suddenly became a serious challenger.
As McLaren’s performance steadily improved, Red Bull’s dominance waned. Verstappen maintained his lead, managing the title race with remarkable consistency, ultimately securing his fourth consecutive championship in Las Vegas.
However, when questioned about whether he could have won the title in a McLaren, Verstappen confidently asserted that he would have clinched it even earlier. He boldly claimed that, had he been driving either Norris’s or Leclerc’s car, the title would have been his long before Las Vegas.
When Norris caught wind of Verstappen’s remarks, he was quick to fire back. In a press conference, the McLaren driver told the media, including Sportskeeda: “He should start doing comedy or something. He can say whatever he wants. Of course, I completely disagree, as I would. He’s good, but yeah, it’s not true.”
The debate didn’t end there. Norris was also asked whether Verstappen’s relationship with his teammate Sergio Perez was an advantage, given that the Mexican driver has often been unable to challenge Verstappen at the same level. Norris acknowledged both the pros and cons of having a less competitive teammate, emphasizing that while Verstappen doesn’t have someone pushing him from within the team, the absence of pressure also provides certain comforts.
“There’s pros and cons,” Norris said. “Max has to do all of his work on his own, which is impressive. But he doesn’t have someone pushing him, trying different setups, and the data’s not as valuable if your teammate isn’t performing at the same level.”
He continued, “At the same time, there’s no pressure. He doesn’t have to worry about beating anyone in his own team. That’s a comfort, but I also like having some pressure because it makes me do a better job.”
Norris added that he hopes Verstappen will one day face a strong teammate who can challenge him more directly. “I hope at some point he has one, and I can challenge him a bit more.”
As for whether Verstappen could have been a world champion in McLaren, it’s certainly an intriguing question. His bold confidence in making such a claim only underscores the self-assurance that has propelled him to the top of the sport. Whether or not McLaren’s car would have been fas
