Lando Norris Believes Max Verstappen Can Be Caught After Singapore GP Win

Lando Norris closed the gap on Max Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 52 points with a commanding win for McLaren at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Brit delivered an exceptional performance, showcasing remarkable speed to finish over 20 seconds ahead of Verstappen at the Marina Bay Circuit.

The win was Norris’ third of the season as McLaren increased their lead to 41 points in the fiercely contested race for the Constructors’ Championship. Norris now believes that overhauling Verstappen’s lead at the top of the championship is definitely possible but warns his team has no room for error.

“This is what I’ve got to do, this is what t I need, this is what we need to do as a team,” Norris told Sky Sports F1. “We’ve executed things perfectly as a team, especially to get Oscar [Piastri] into P3, but we need to do it at every race until the end of the year if I want to have a chance to get Max. We’re working hard and if I keep doing what I’ve done this weekend, then it’s definitely possible.”

Norris will need to cut Verstappen’s lead by an average of 8.66 points per weekend to close the gap, with 180 points still up for grabs across the six remaining Grands Prix (including potential fastest lap bonuses) and three Sprint races. The season’s final round in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for December 6-8, is not a Sprint weekend, so Norris must be within 26 points of Verstappen by then to keep his comeback hopes alive.

When asked if he anticipates the title fight to go down to the wire, Norris responded: “I hope so. I’ve still got a lot of points to make up, and it’s not going to be easy. After all, it’s against Red Bull and Max, the most dominant duo we’ve seen in Formula 1, especially from last year.”

F1 is currently on a month-long break and will return with the United States GP from 18-10 October, which will feature one of this season’s three remaining sprint races.

Andrea Stella: ‘Title still Max’s to lose’

Mclaren boss Andrea Stella emphasized that the championship is still “in Max’s hands,” but noted that the team could feel “encouraged and even more optimistic” about Norris’ chances following his performance in Singapore.

“It’s definitely not in our hands because it’s still in Max’s hands,” Stella said. “Likewise, the Constructors’ Championship, that’s more in our hands, in fairness.”

Regarding the rest of the season, Stella stated that if the MCL38 maintains its status as the fastest car on the grid, the team’s primary goal would be to ensure that both Norris and Piastri finish ahead of Verstappen in races which would ensure that Mclaren lift the Constructors’ title and take the Driver’s championship to the wire.

Mohd Faisal Hakak

Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.