Lando Norris feels he knows what is coming from Max Verstappen (Image: Getty)
Lando Norris is bracing himself for Max Verstappen’s aggressive tactics in the upcoming Formula 1 season, acknowledging that the Dutchman will “push the boundaries” to secure another victory. Despite finishing a career-high second in last year’s standings, the British driver was still 63 points behind 27 year old Verstappen.
Their rivalry led to several contentious moments, including a crash in Austria that ruined both their chances of winning and a heated clash in Mexico that resulted in a 20-second penalty for the driver.
At 25, Norris maintained his composure during these frequent confrontations, leading some critics to label him as too timid. As he gears up for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix and the new F1 championship—where he’s tipped as the favourite to win both—the racer concedes he “clearly wasn’t ready” to outperform Verstappen on the track last season.
However, having now experienced the four-time champion’s racing style, Norris confidently asserts that he’s fully prepared for the challenge.
Norris stated: “I do think Max will be the hardest guy to race against. He’s always going to be the one who’s going to be most willing to push the limits and push the boundaries like he did.”
He added, “So I learned that aspect of Max. I learned where I stood in that situation, which was not at the right level. I learned from those things. I’m just excited to have another crack at it and see what I can do.”
‘s team championship victory last December and their impressive performance in testing have solidified Norris’s position as the bookmakers’ favourite for this year’s title. Few would be quick to dismiss Verstappen, however.
Verstappen is aiming for a fifth consecutive title, a feat only previously achieved by Michael Schumacher during his golden era with . However, anticipates a slower start to the season, and Verstappen has expressed dissatisfaction with his new car, demanding “more speed” just yesterday.
While is expected to perform well in the early stages, Norris isn’t convinced that the power dynamics will remain consistent throughout the lengthy 24-race campaign. The British driver has criticised those within the sport who he believes are placing undue expectations on him and his team.
He stated: “I’m quite surprised so many people are so short-sighted… Everyone just wants to play that game of looking like the underdog and playing it down.”
If indeed proves to be in a league of their own, then Norris’ main competitor will likely be Oscar Piastri. The Australian, now in his third F1 season, recently secured a £20 million-per-year contract extension.
Norris welcomes the prospect of a title fight with his teammate, saying: “We’re happy to go against each other and compete. Of course, we have to know that we’re going to be against each other a lot this season, and I hope we are.”
He added, “But our strength last season was helping one another and always giving each other a good amount of room, racing fair, those kinds of things. We need to maintain that – that’s one of our biggest things as a team and our biggest goal.”