After starting on pole position, Norris finished a disappointing sixth, losing ground to Verstappen, who won from a remarkable 17th on the grid. The result increased Norris\u2019s deficit from 44 to 62 points, with only 86 points left in the season. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Verstappen now stands on the brink of clinching his fourth successive title, needing only to avoid being outscored by three points or more by Norris at the next race in Las Vegas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on Norris\u2019s championship journey, former F1 driver Martin Brundle suggested that this season has been a learning experience for the young McLaren driver, who is challenging for a title against one of F1's most formidable opponents. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe lacks the experience of challenging for a world championship, and I think that\u2019s a whole new set of challenges and rules - and that\u2019s what he will learn from this year,\u201d Brundle told Sky Sports News.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Sometimes you wonder if he lacks the killer instinct up against Max, who we know can be pretty brutal in combat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"But I think Lando will learn a lot from this season, and Max winning seven of the first 10 races pretty much put him out of reach really. \u201c<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite Norris's evident talent, Brundle questioned if the 23-year-old possessed the \u201ckiller instinct\u201d that defines Verstappen\u2019s racing style. \u201cSometimes you wonder if he lacks the killer instinct up against Max, who we know can be pretty brutal in combat,\u201d Brundle noted, emphasising that Verstappen\u2019s relentless approach had put Norris in a challenging position.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Norris has demonstrated brilliance this season, winning at Zandvoort and Singapore with commanding performances. However, Brundle emphasised that competing against Verstappen required consistent excellence and highlighted McLaren's resurgence and Norris's attempts to close the points gap. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Lando was very clear - 'I don't want to win a world championship because my team-mate had to keep gifting me stuff here and there' - and McLaren know they can't just park a great talent like Oscar Piastri as second in the team and having to yield at every opportunity because it's really hard psychologically to get over that and keep your credibility and reputation intact,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMax winning seven of the first 10 races pretty much put him out of reach really,\u201d Brundle said. By mid-season, Norris trailed by as many as 84 points, requiring him to outscore Verstappen consistently while hoping for interjections from other teams to hold Verstappen back. One misstep, such as Norris\u2019s disappointing result in Brazil, has made it an almost impossible task to regain the upper hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Norris\u2019s sixth-place finish in Sao Paulo was compounded by several setbacks during the race. After failing to retain the lead from pole, he was overtaken by George Russell on the first lap. He then lost additional ground by pitting for fresh tires just before the race was red-flagged due to Franco Colapinto's crash. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
With a red flag, all drivers were allowed a free tire change, cancelling the tire advantage Norris had hoped to gain from his stop. Verstappen and two Alpines benefited significantly by staying on track, inheriting track position that they held onto for the remainder of the race.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Although Norris acknowledged his own errors, he also pointed to the unfortunate timing of his pit stop. He described the situation as \u201cunlucky,\u201d as the free tire changes negated the advantage McLaren had anticipated from the pit strategy. Brundle agreed, noting that Verstappen\u2019s experience gave him an edge. \u201cMax knew what to do and then he just steamed off and won by 19 seconds,\u201d Brundle said. \u201cIt was a classic drive.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This year has also seen McLaren\u2019s return to front-running contention, with Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri both displaying strong form. McLaren\u2019s team dynamics have come under scrutiny, with questions over whether the team should have favoured Norris earlier in the season when Piastri took wins in Hungary and Italy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, Brundle praised McLaren for allowing both drivers to race freely, emphasising the importance of Piastri\u2019s development and confidence. Norris himself has been clear that he doesn\u2019t want a championship handed to him through team orders. \u201cLando was very clear - \u2018I don\u2019t want to win a world championship because my teammate had to keep gifting me stuff here and there,\u2019\u201d Brundle explained.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
While Norris described Verstappen\u2019s performance as \u201clucky,\u201d Brundle suggested Norris might rethink this view after analysing the race further. Verstappen demonstrated masterful racecraft, maintaining composure from a low starting position and making strategic calls that ultimately paid off. \"Max got unlucky with the red flag in qualifying but he stayed out on track in the race and expected a Safety Car or a red-flag situation,\u201d Brundle observed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, Brundle praised McLaren for allowing both drivers to race freely, emphasising the importance of Piastri\u2019s development and confidence. Norris himself has been clear that he doesn\u2019t want a championship handed to him through team orders. \u201cLando was very clear - \u2018I don\u2019t want to win a world championship because my teammate had to keep gifting me stuff here and there,\u2019\u201d Brundle explained.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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