Verstappen: Norris to win the F1 title, he would need a perfect finish to the season
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen has indeed highlighted that for Lando Norris to win the F1 drivers' title, he would need a perfect finish to the season.
Verstappen calls on Red Bull to elevate performance amidst title fight with Norris. Max Verstappen has issued a rallying cry to his Red Bull team to enhance their performance as he strives to defend his Formula 1 championship title this year. Despite leading the championship, Verstappen recognized that Lando Norris remains a significant threat, emphasizing that Norris would need a "perfect" final stretch of seven races to surpass him.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix recap
During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, Norris managed to reduce Verstappen's lead by three points. Despite starting from a disadvantageous 15th position on the grid, the McLaren driver displayed exceptional skill, maneuvering through the field to secure a fourth-place finish. Along the way, he overtook Verstappen, who finished fifth. Both drivers benefitted from a collision between Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz, which impacted the race's outcome. Norris also earned an additional point for clocking the fastest lap.
In the last three races, Norris has outpaced Verstappen by 19 points, yet he still trails by 59 points with seven races remaining. Discussing his chances of maintaining his lead, Verstappen stated, "I think if we do a better job ourselves. They need to have a perfect end to the year."
The contest between Verstappen and Norris is further complicated by the formidable presence of Ferrari, Mercedes, and Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri, who clinched a victory in Baku. Verstappen acknowledged that the involvement of other drivers could mitigate the impact on his lead but underscored the need for Red Bull to enhance their performance.
"I don't like to always be P6 [where Verstappen qualified] myself," he remarked. "We need to do a bit better. But today already showed with Checo [Perez], when he was a bit happier and the car was performing a bit better, we are in that fight. OK, we didn't win but we were in that fight with Checo. So I think from now on we can be in that fight if we keep improving the car step-by-step."
Red Bull currently trails McLaren by 20 points in the constructors' championship, following Pérez's last-lap collision with Sainz, which left him pointless, while McLaren secured both a win and a fourth-place finish. The trajectory of recent races has seen McLaren gain ground on and eventually surpass Red Bull, yet Verstappen remains optimistic about his team's prospects.
"Of course it's never nice to see that [Red Bull lose the lead in the standings]. It didn't help what happened with Checo and Carlos. I'm sure that we can do better. The fight is not over yet. We'll try to get that back."
With seven races left in the season, the championship battle is heating up. Verstappen's call for Red Bull to sharpen their performance underscores the intense competition that lies ahead. The next phase of the season promises to be a thrilling showdown between the top contenders, with every race holding significant implications for the championship's outcome.
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