‘Incredible impressive’ driver was the only person close to Max Verstappen’s level at Mexico City GP

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IndyCar race winner and F1 pundit James Hinchcliffe has suggested that McLaren driver Lando Norris was the only racer close to Max Verstappen’s level in Mexico last weekend.

Hinchcliffe was writing for the official Formula 1 website after a dramatic race in Mexico City on Sunday.

A distraught home crowd watched their hero Sergio Perez crash out going into the first corner after a collision with Charles Leclerc.

Many of the fans at the circuit could have left at that point, but they stayed and were treated to a brilliant race.

Max Verstappen did what he always does and drove off into the distance but the battles behind him were worth watching.

Lewis Hamilton took a well-deserved second place after passing both Ferraris.

However, it was Lando Norris’s drive through the grid in Mexico that drew comparisons to Verstappen.

He wouldn’t have been happy with his qualifying effort or his restart after the red flag.

The 23-year-old looked like a man on a mission after those errors and made light work of reaching the chequered flag in fifth place.

He will be hoping to carry that form into Sao Paulo this weekend and the final Sprint Race weekend of the season.

Norris drive in Mexico compared to Verstappen

Speaking about the young Brit, Hinchcliffe said: “Starting where he did (down in P17), Norris was always going to have a tall order on Sunday.

“With the tyre, engine and brake temperature management needed on the day, running in traffic was going to be even more of a performance hit than normal. Apparently, no one told Norris though.

“He systemically approached and dispatched car after car, seemingly never staying behind anyone long enough to feel the effects of the hot, dirty air of the car in front.

“He had made great progress before a pit stop right before the red flag dropped him several positions.

“The restart did not go to plan, and he fell a further four places back, which could have led to frustration and desperate driving.

“But he kept his cool and went back on the attack. His race pace – not to mention race craft – was incredibly impressive, given all the temperature management required.

“The only driver close to Verstappen’s level of race management, no doubt he would have kept his podium streak alive had qualifying gone to plan.”

Verstappen appears to be on another level right now in his Red Bull but Norris did a fantastic job in Mexico that earned him the Driver of the Day award.

He particularly enjoyed overtaking his old teammate Daniel Ricciardo who also had a fine race.

Winning a race has to be his priority now after a flurry of second-place finishes this season.

Unfortunately, there’s no way his McLaren can consistently compete with the Dutchman’s Red Bull.