Lando Norris believes Max Verstappen is the best driver in the world because of his unique gene pool – and that anyone who thinks they can ever be as good can just ‘f*** off’.
The remarkably honest comments – some of the most candid about an F1 competitor ever uttered by a rival – came ahead of Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, where Norris is battling championship leader and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
He is also aware of the threat posed by Verstappen, the pugnacious Dutchman who hovers in their rear-view mirror, though 69 points off the summit with 199 available over the course of the seven remaining races of the season.
Norris, in second place, 25 points off Piastri, was asked whether it was true – as it is – that when he and his fellow drivers get together they agree that Verstappen is their supreme being.
Norris said: ‘It is hard to beat someone who was born into an F1 seat.
‘He is probably the best ever in Formula One, up there with the greats such as Lewis (Hamilton) and the guys in the past.
Norris believes Verstappen is the best driver in the world because of his unique gene pool
The remarkably honest comments came ahead of Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, where Norris is battling championship leader and McLaren team-mate Australian Oscar Piastri
‘There is a chance he can win the title. He has got a great car at Red Bull. He won the last two races (in Monza and Baku).
‘I have a lot of respect for what he is capable of doing and everyone is trying to be at the level he is at every weekend.
‘The genes are pretty damn good and if I could go back and choose how to be a better driver, I would also have a mum and dad who were racing drivers (successful karter Sophie Kumpen, now 49, and former F1 driver Jos, 53).
‘You start when you are a baby in the paddock, start karting at whatever age he did, and do more testing than everyone else. I would be a better driver now if I had done all those things. So people have to catch up because he was made to be in the position he is now. But he is also making the most of that and that is why he has four world championships.’
But why is Max as dazzling as Norris believes, in an analytical assessment of his driving prowess, in the intricacies of their trade, going behind the four world championships he has won consecutively.
‘It is decision making,’ said Norris. ‘And many other things. A lot of it in the end is subconscious stuff, knowledge and understanding of the tyres, the car, the grip, set-up, your ability to take risks at the right time and knowing how hard you can push it in the braking zone, or an overtaking opportunity, or whatever it may be.
‘You can understand and explain everything but doing it, and forcing someone to do it, is what is difficult. His ability to do pretty damn good laps every single time is impressive.
‘He still makes mistakes and there have been plenty of qualifying sessions where he has not maximised what he could have done, but perhaps to a lesser extent than anyone else. It is just his ability never to go to 101 per cent but to always be at 100 per cent, and when he has a bad day he is on 99 per cent.’
Norris, in second place, 25 points off Piastri, was asked whether it was true – as it is – that when he and his fellow drivers get together they agree that Verstappen is their supreme being.
‘Everyone is trying to be at the level he is at every weekend,’ Norris said of his rival Verstappen
Asked if he could ever be as good as Max, Norris said: ‘That is very hard to say, to be honest. I don’t want to say it or believe it because it is the wrong thing to tell myself.
‘He is, as I said, one of the best drivers ever in Formula One so if anyone ever came up to you and says “yes”, just tell them to f*** off.
‘Any driver in the world can just be confident in saying that kind of thing but it is almost impossible. Do I believe on some days I am better? “Yes.” Do I believe my team-mate on some days is better? “Yes.” Lewis and George (Russell at Mercedes) also? “Yes.” But it is about how good he is at being consistent which is impressive.’
It almost does not matter who wins the title this year, then? The garland that counted most was handed out, in all honesty, by Lando Norris here to Max Verstappen. The rest is only an absorbing sideshow.
