With the F1 Qatar GP results holding the power to decide the next world champion, tensions are running high between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. After the McLaren driver took the lead of the Drivers’ Championship from his teammate, Oscar Piastri, the #1 Red Bull driver also joined the battle. However, as the Dutchman managed to cut down McLaren’s advantage, Norris made sure to maximise his performance.
With only two more rounds in the 2025 season left, the stakes are as high as ever. Separated by 22 points from Piastri and 25 from Verstappen, the Brit can solidify his position as the next champion by outscoring them both later today. Norris needs a result that’s 4 points higher than Piastri’s and 1 point higher than Verstappen’s to become world champion before the Abu Dhabi finale.
Norris dismissed claims as “nonsense”
Coming into the F1 Qatar GP race weekend, Max Verstappen suggested that the championship battle would not have dragged on so long if he were in the cockpit of the MCL39. In light of the pressure around Sunday’s race, Norris was asked whether that comment could be part of the usual mind games surrounding an F1 title fight.
The McLaren driver brushed off the claims in the post-qualifying press conference. Yet, with Norris losing pole to Piastri in Qualifying and Verstappen starting from P3, the F1 Qatar GP could display an on-track fight between the three title contenders.
“No. Look, yeah. Of course, I saw him. But he was never too much of a threat at all. So no, my focus was more just on George and seeing how I could keep the tyres in a good place for later. But Max is very welcome to say everything he wants, to be honest,” the #4 driver explained.
“He’s kind of earned the right. You know, he’s won four World Championships. I have a lot of respect, and I think that gives anyone a lot of credit. He’s achieved an incredible amount – more than anyone generally dreams of achieving. So, you know, Max generally has a good clue about a lot of things. But there’s also a lot of things he doesn’t have much of a clue about.
“It’s also Red Bull’s way of going about things. This kind of aggressive nature and just talking nonsense a lot of the time. So it depends if you want to listen to it and talk about it – like you love to – or you do what we do as a team. Which is just kind of keep our heads down, keep focused. So maybe he would have done. But he hasn’t so far, and he keeps trying.”
Verstappen’s reply
After Norris shared his counter-statements, the Dutch media questioned Verstappen on the accusation during the F1 Qatar GP post-qualifying print media session. The Red Bull driver denied any intention of talking “nonsense”, to which he laughed before replying:
“No, I just put all facts on the table.”
Continuing on a more serious note, the Dutchman revealed his honest arguments that prompted that initial comment: “I know that from my own experience as well. When you’re fighting for your first world title, you naturally feel a bit more pressure than in the years after that.”
Nevertheless, Verstappen highlighted the difficulty of predicting a winner before the F1 Qatar GP race. Moreover, the Red Bull driver also spoke of Zak Brown’s recent comments. The TP tried to predict Verstappen’s moves, claiming the Dutchman has nothing to lose and everything to gain from being more aggressive in Turn 1.
“It’s a bit trickier for Lando this weekend. Oscar feels good again, I think. And you could also see that in Q3. Lando still has a decent lead, also on Oscar, so it’s all a bit hard to predict.
“Yes, especially compared to Lando. I think he knows that as well. But on the other hand, I’m not too worried about it. I’ll just try to do my best. If there’s an opportunity, then of course I’ll go for it. But at the same time, you don’t want to do anything crazy either. Because that won’t help you anyway.”
