Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is optimistic that Max Verstappen will hang on to win the Formula 1 title in 2024 due to the “mental weaknesses” Lando Norris boasts.
Norris has capitalised on McLaren’s emergence as the benchmark team this term to be recognised as the driver best placed to stop Verstappen’s championship reign.
However, Red Bull’s earlier-season dominance – which saw Verstappen bag seven victories in the opening 10 races – sees Norris 52 points behind with six races to go.
But McLaren’s crushing pace advantage at the last race in Singapore has put Red Bull on alert, as Marko revealed that Verstappen expressed concern on a phone call.
Nevertheless, Marko is still convinced that Verstappen will survive the remaining race weekends – which include three Sprint races – to claim a fourth consecutive title.
The Austrian has insisted that Verstappen is an all-round stronger driver, while he also reckons that Norris possesses certain fragilities that the Dutchman can exploit.
Asked who he thinks will be crowned champion this season, Marko told Motorsport Magazin’s YouTube channel: “Verstappen.
“He’s the best, he’s the fastest and, above all, he has the mental strength to theoretically fight for the world championship more than Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.”
“We know Norris has some mental weaknesses,” he continued. “I’ve read about some of the rituals he needs to do to perform well on race day.”
Norris struggles to eat prior to F1 races
Marko would not be drawn on what faults he was alluding to with Norris, but the McLaren driver conceded in August that he still struggles to eat or drink before races.
Asked whether he relishes the increased pressure of competing for wins, Norris replied: “I don’t think of it at all. I think there’s always pressure, which is the main thing.
“I still get so nervous for qualifying. For the races, I still get just as excited and just as nervous. I don’t eat anything on Sundays.
“I struggle to drink on Sundays. Just because I’m nervous, just because of the pressure.
“I think it’s just how you turn it into a positive thing. How do you not let it affect you in a bad way?
“How can you actually use it in a good way to help you focus on the correct things and so on? I’m sure I do now. Probably will forever.
“You know, going into Q3, or qualifying when you have to go out and deliver.
“I know you spoke about it every time, because there’s so much nerves and there’s pressure.
“And if you do one thing, you’re going to break centimetres, or a minute too late, or you turn in at the wrong timing, or whatever it is, you’re finished immediately.
“The knowledge of that just puts you under very intense feeling.
“But also, it’s an amazing feeling at the same time that I don’t feel like maybe you can replicate it, in any of the sports, in any of the things.”
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