Lando Norris contradicts Oscar Piastri over Max Verstappen call

News.com.au

3 days ago

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have had one of the cleanest and most cordial world title scraps in a long time, but there are some things where the F1 championship contenders are divided.
Heading into this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, Piastri made the blunt statement all fans have thought for a long time — that the 2025 drivers' championship is now a head-to-head battle between the McLaren pair.
However, Norris on Thursday voiced his disagreement to the idea that four-time world champ Max Verstappen is out of contention.
The Red Bull ace, who on Friday morning announced he will stay with the energy drink operation through to the end of the 2026 series, has also all-but waived the white flag.
Verstappen has fallen 81 points behind series leader Piastri.
Red Bull are in a state of flux, after sacking their team principal Christian Horner this month and replacing the Briton with Laurent Mekies, the boss of their 'B' team Racing Bulls.
Despite this, Norris says a line can't be put through the Dutch driver's name yet.
As reported by Racing News 365, Norris said he wouldn't rule Verstappen out.
'It's never impossible,' Norris said.
'We proved that last year, but he's quite a long way back.'
The British racer went on to say: 'We have a team that's a lot more stable and performing a lot better than Red Bull is, but Max is still, quite easily, one of the best drivers ever in Formula 1.
'So, as a driver, I wouldn't rule him out, but we have a better car, we have a better team, so I have my confidence in them that we can, we can stay ahead.'
Piastri earlier called it like he saw it.
'I suppose so,' he said when asked if it was a 'two-horse' race for the title, per planetf1.com.
'I think every weekend now, or the last few weekends anyway, it's been Lando and I.
'I expect our competition to still be strong and put up a good fight, especially at certain tracks through the rest of the year, but whether that comes from Max or Ferrari or Mercedes or someone else, maybe, we never really know.
'So, I'm not too concerned about what happens in that. I'm just trying to win each race and extend the lead.
'But I think clearly Lando and I are in the same car, which is the best, and he's naturally going to be the closest competition.'
McLaren boss Zak Brown this week insisted the team won't be playing favourites and that the championship race will be a 'coin toss' between his two drivers.
Piastri has had the upper hand on Norris for the majority of the season, having won six of the first 13 races.
The 24-year-old from Melbourne holds a 16-point advantage over his 25-year-old teammate.
With McLaren on track to secure their first drivers' championship since 2008, Brown is leaving the championship door open and refusing to back just one of the two.
'I think Oscar was a little disappointed with qualifying in Belgium. Lando was very happy. I'm sure he'll be a little bummed that he didn't win today, but it's coming off two wins. I think it's going to be a coin toss every weekend,' he told Sky Sport following the Belgian Grand Prix.
'Oscar is a machine. And what's impressive is how aggressive he is, and yet he always brings the car home. That's quite a talent.'
Brown also said Verstappen could not be ruled out yet.
Red Bull is reportedly running an upgraded package this weekend.
'I think it's too early. It's looking good, but Max … there's a lot of racing left to go. We've got a nice gap, but I wouldn't say we're there,' he said.
'We've all been around this sport too long. To start dancing before you're in the end zone is a very dangerous thing to do.'