The sporting greats Norris must emulate to beat Verstappen

The Silverstone mistakes, Oscar Piastri’s Monza muscle, the Baku Q1 yellow flag misfortune. These moments did not cost Lando Norris his long-shot 2024 Formula 1 world title.

This is mathematically still on. But Max Verstappen’s brilliant drive to win the Brazilian Grand Prix from 17th on the grid, when Norris had started from and lost another pole, has made the prospect more remote.

The fact is the real damage was done in the first five rounds, where the MCL38’s early long-corner weakness and lack of DRS efficiency set up a 52-point deficit Norris has been trying to claw back ever since. Verstappen is just too good to let such an advantage slip, even when his formerly dominant squad was crumbling around him.

PLUS: The point of perspective that explains why Norris’s title hopes were not blown in Brazil

Heading to the bright lights of Las Vegas next week, Norris’s McLaren squad is, however, on course to win a first constructors’ title since 1998. However, this prediction comes with the large caveat of Ferrari’s late surge and Red Bull getting a grip on the RB20 again. But around this potentially glittering point, two things are certain.

What a turnaround and achievement it is for Zak Brown, Andrea Stella and the team to be in a position to claim the constructors’ championship. And no wonder that even those said to have kept Sergio Perez around at Red Bull out of misplaced loyalty are understood to have finally reached exasperation-ville.

After all, Red Bull is now staring at a $20 million hole in prize money – and is without Adrian Newey to help deploy the extra aerodynamic testing time that comes with being second of F1’s losers these days.

Verstappen appears to have done enough to secure the drivers' title, but McLaren has the edge over Red Bull in the constructors' standings

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Just around the corner, the 2025 season is already hoped to be a title fight for the ages. 2024 has been surprisingly excellent – you wouldn’t have put money on it being such a thriller after five rounds – and that’s because McLaren isn’t the only team to have pivoted back to competitiveness.

This feeling of optimism isn’t a manifestation of hot-take culture. It’s come through Ferrari’s Monza, Austin and Mexico victories, with the knowledge that Lewis Hamilton is soon on board at the Scuderia to partner the ever-exciting Charles Leclerc. Verstappen, meanwhile, will be out seeking yet more glory while battling foes both real and (in the case of the evil, omnipotent British media bias) imaginary.

PLUS: How Ferrari has already vindicated Hamilton’s blockbuster move

And then there’s McLaren’s chances of doubling up. In terms of car development, it is now a leader – having been the only front-running team to avoid tripping up through performance upgrades this term.

Norris will be aiming to join a long list of sporting success stories where disappointment came first

The awkwardness of the position swap late in the Brazil sprint race highlighted how some strategy calls surely still need sharpening at the orange team, but that’s a factor of having to keep Oscar Piastri and his management happy. Maybe McLaren won’t need to if he instead leads from the off next year, having impressed so much during just two seasons on the F1 grid.

Norris will be aiming to join a long list of sporting success stories where disappointment came first. How Usain Bolt underwhelmed on his Olympics bow in Athens in 2004. Or how New Zealand rugby union star Dan Carter only played in a World Cup final aged 33 – to borrow some examples from the mind of current England fly-half Marcus Smith.

Norris has improved this year – think seven poles and sensationally dominant wins at Zandvoort and Singapore, after his Miami breakthrough. But if more lessons of English rugby might be taken onboard within the mere 10-mile gap between the Bagshot training ground and McLaren’s Woking HQ, close losses just can’t be allowed to pile up or they may never be passed.

Can Norris turn his progress in 2024 into a championship next season?

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images