Max Verstappen’s triumph in Japan brought Max to within one point of Lando Norris in a championship that promises to be close. The three drivers on the Suzuka podium are not underestimating anyone—not even Ferrari or Mercedes—in a title fight that won’t just be between the two McLaren drivers.
It won’t be a two-way fight, or even a three-way one. “The championship is long and anything can happen,” said a calm Max Verstappen. For the Dutchman, it’s about “trying to maximize performance, the only thing you can control.”
With the third Grand Prix of the season in the books, 21 rounds still remain in a campaign that will immediately take the Circus to Bahrain next weekend. In such a long season, which already last year showed it could hold surprises and comebacks, no one can be underestimated.
Lando Norris credits consistency: “But Leclerc and Russell are a threat”
Lando Norris doesn’t want to lean in favor of his McLaren, which he says is not that dominant. “I still think we’ll be challenged by the drivers currently behind us,” explained Lando. The #4 had his eyes on Suzuka’s fourth-place finisher, Leclerc: “Charles wasn’t much slower. The gap to him was bigger, but I think his second stint on the Hards was as quick as mine.”
According to Lando Norris, the factor allowing the McLaren-Verstappen trio to lead the drivers’ standings is consistency. “I think we’re the three most consistent drivers at the moment. We’re managing to put performances together in both qualifying and the race.”
Not just Charles Leclerc—George Russell also makes the list of those Lando Norris fears. “He was quick this weekend. I think if he had started from pole position, he probably would have won the race.”
Piastri isn’t underestimating Ferrari: “Remember Leclerc in China…”
Piastri is more confident and less reserved: “Our car is in a really strong position right now, even though there are things we want to improve. Obviously, Lando will be a dangerous rival, since we have the same car. And we also can’t underestimate Max, given everything he’s achieved in his career.”
“But as Lando said,” Oscar Piastri continued, “it doesn’t take major mistakes from us to allow others into the fight. This weekend, Mercedes appeared several times as a threat. And Ferrari… I think people are forgetting what Leclerc did in China with practically half a front wing. If anyone else had tried to run the race Charles did in Shanghai, they would’ve had to box early.”
At the end of the day, Oscar Piastri believes McLaren is ahead, but the gap is small. “We have a small advantage, and there’s a lot of competition.”
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