Lando Norris Responds to Verstappen’s Championship Challenge

During the lead-up to the Singapore Grand Prix, Lando Norris offered a sarcastic response when questioned about the potential threat posed by Max Verstappen in the ongoing 2025 Formula 1 Championship. Norris’s quip came in response to inquiries about whether he felt apprehensive about Verstappen, who has recently been gaining momentum in the championship standings.

Verstappen, driving for Red Bull Racing, has demonstrated his competitive prowess by outperforming both McLaren drivers—Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri—over the last three races. Following a significant floor upgrade prior to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Verstappen secured back-to-back victories in Italy and Azerbaijan, and finished in second place at Singapore. This streak places him 63 points behind championship leader Piastri and just 41 points behind Norris.

When asked about the possibility of McLaren prioritizing one driver over another in light of Verstappen’s resurgence, Norris responded, “I’m very concerned. Yeah. Very worried about it, and scared, frankly. So yeah, I was happy you asked that, actually… Yeah… No.” This exchange highlighted Norris’s confidence in his team’s strategy, which maintains that both drivers are considered equals and will compete freely on the track.

Despite Norris’s lighthearted dismissal, McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, acknowledged the need for a potential shift in focus. After the Singapore race, he indicated that McLaren has directed its resources towards developing its 2026 car. He noted, “I think there’s a trend whereby we have stopped the development of the car now for quite some time, because we’ve been focusing entirely on 2026. There were, if anything, little parts that we took to Monza, but otherwise we were just focusing on ’26 for a long time, while we have seen that some competitors kept taking some new upgrades to the trackside. Red Bull certainly is one of those.”

As the season progresses, McLaren’s current strategy could be tested if Verstappen continues to narrow the points gap. While the team is committed to allowing Norris and Piastri to compete equally, there may come a time when a reassessment of priorities becomes necessary.

For now, McLaren is holding its ground, confident in its approach as the 2025 season unfolds. With the championship title at stake, the dynamics between the competing teams will be closely watched in the coming races.