Lando Norris has expressed that the recent comeback of Red Bull and Max Verstappen is not at all unexpected. He also believes McLaren has achieved significantly greater advancements over recent years.
Following the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Verstappen was trailing the championship leader by 104 points, but that gap has now decreased to 40 with five races remaining. This turnaround is attributed to Red Bull’s ongoing development of its 2025 car, which has allowed them to maximize the RB21’s performance. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko shed light on a theory regarding ride height, tied to the Monza floor and an enhanced understanding of the car’s dynamics.
These elements have collectively contributed to Red Bull’s notable progress—an outcome surprising to many in the paddock but not to Norris. Ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, he stated he wasn’t shocked by the resurgence of Verstappen and Red Bull as title contenders.
“No, because they’ve won the last two constructors’ championships before us,” Norris said in response to Autosport’s inquiry. “They possess a lot of smart personnel who have multiple world championships under their belts, and were never too far off.” He mentioned that Red Bull has been stronger throughout the season than their public statements suggested, noting Verstappen’s numerous pole positions this year.
Norris emphasized that McLaren has made more substantial strides to reach their current position compared to Red Bull. “When you consider where we’ve been a couple of years ago, our advancement has been greater than theirs in securing championships. Once you start to understand what differences can be made, the same applies to them,” he stated.
Norris Closing in on Piastri
While Verstappen’s recovery is making headlines, Norris has been catching up to his teammate Oscar Piastri since his unfortunate engine failure in Zandvoort. This progress has bolstered his confidence in the title race, although he acknowledges the challenge remains substantial.
Piastri’s Circuit-Specific Challenges
While Norris improves, Piastri faces difficulties, having made errors in Baku and struggled with speed in Austin. In Texas, he noted that his issues seemed tied to the Circuit of the Americas. “I believe it’s specific to COTA. It was a chaotic weekend due to several factors,” Piastri explained. He mentioned that the team is analyzing these challenges and is optimistic about a better performance moving forward.
