In what was shaping up to be a pivotal race in his title fight against Max Verstappen, Lando Norris’s championship aspirations took a significant hit at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

After starting on pole position, Norris finished a disappointing sixth, losing ground to Verstappen, who won from a remarkable 17th on the grid. The result increased Norris’s deficit from 44 to 62 points, with only 86 points left in the season.

Advertisement

Verstappen now stands on the brink of clinching his fourth successive title, needing only to avoid being outscored by three points or more by Norris at the next race in Las Vegas.

Reflecting on Norris’s championship journey, former F1 driver Martin Brundle suggested that this season has been a learning experience for the young McLaren driver, who is challenging for a title against one of F1’s most formidable opponents.

“He lacks the experience of challenging for a world championship, and I think that’s a whole new set of challenges and rules – and that’s what he will learn from this year,” Brundle told Sky Sports News.

“Sometimes you wonder if he lacks the killer instinct up against Max, who we know can be pretty brutal in combat.

“But I think Lando will learn a lot from this season, and Max winning seven of the first 10 races pretty much put him out of reach really. “

Despite Norris’s evident talent, Brundle questioned if the 23-year-old possessed the “killer instinct” that defines Verstappen’s racing style. “Sometimes you wonder if he lacks the killer instinct up against Max, who we know can be pretty brutal in combat,” Brundle noted, emphasising that Verstappen’s relentless approach had put Norris in a challenging position.

Norris has demonstrated brilliance this season, winning at Zandvoort and Singapore with commanding performances. However, Brundle emphasised that competing against Verstappen required consistent excellence and highlighted McLaren’s resurgence and Norris’s attempts to close the points gap.

“Lando was very clear – ‘I don’t want to win a world championship because my team-mate had to keep gifting me stuff here and there’ – and McLaren know they can’t just park a great talent like Oscar Piastri as second in the team and having to yield at every opportunity because it’s really hard psychologically to get over that and keep your credibility and reputation intact,” he said.

“Max winning seven of the first 10 races pretty much put him out of reach really,” Brundle said. By mid-season, Norris trailed by as many as 84 points, requiring him to outscore Verstappen consistently while hoping for interjections from other teams to hold Verstappen back. One misstep, such as Norris’s disappointing result in Brazil, has made it an almost impossible task to regain the upper hand.

Norris’s sixth-place finish in Sao Paulo was compounded by several setbacks during the race. After failing to retain the lead from pole, he was overtaken by George Russell on the first lap. He then lost additional ground by pitting for fresh tires just before the race was red-flagged due to Franco Colapinto’s crash.

With a red flag, all drivers were allowed a free tire change, cancelling the tire advantage Norris had hoped to gain from his stop. Verstappen and two Alpines benefited significantly by staying on track, inheriting track position that they held onto for the remainder of the race.

Although Norris acknowledged his own errors, he also pointed to the unfortunate timing of his pit stop. He described the situation as “unlucky,” as the free tire changes negated the advantage McLaren had anticipated from the pit strategy. Brundle agreed, noting that Verstappen’s experience gave him an edge. “Max knew what to do and then he just steamed off and won by 19 seconds,” Brundle said. “It was a classic drive.”

This year has also seen McLaren’s return to front-running contention, with Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri both displaying strong form. McLaren’s team dynamics have come under scrutiny, with questions over whether the team should have favoured Norris earlier in the season when Piastri took wins in Hungary and Italy.

However, Brundle praised McLaren for allowing both drivers to race freely, emphasising the importance of Piastri’s development and confidence. Norris himself has been clear that he doesn’t want a championship handed to him through team orders. “Lando was very clear – ‘I don’t want to win a world championship because my teammate had to keep gifting me stuff here and there,’” Brundle explained.

While Norris described Verstappen’s performance as “lucky,” Brundle suggested Norris might rethink this view after analysing the race further. Verstappen demonstrated masterful racecraft, maintaining composure from a low starting position and making strategic calls that ultimately paid off. “Max got unlucky with the red flag in qualifying but he stayed out on track in the race and expected a Safety Car or a red-flag situation,” Brundle observed.

In wet and challenging conditions, Verstappen showcased why he’s a formidable competitor. “Formula 1 did really well to get the race underway and finished, actually,” Brundle remarked, acknowledging the challenging weather that contributed to a thrilling showdown.