Jenson Button has spotted Lando Norris starting to copy one of Max Verstappen’s best attributes

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Jenson Button has lauded McLaren driver Lando Norris and thinks he’s now starting to take inspiration from his championship rival, Max Verstappen.

No Formula 1 fan would be surprised if, at this stage of the season, the drivers’ championship came down to Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi.

At one point in 2025, Verstappen was more than 100 points behind Oscar Piastri in the championship, and even though he’s now level with the Australian with two race weekends left, his pedigree makes him the biggest threat to Norris.

While many people are lauding Verstappen’s comeback, Norris deserves a huge amount of credit for how he’s overturned the deficit to his McLaren teammate.

When Norris was standing on the podium in Las Vegas, he would have known he was potentially a victory in Qatar from winning his first F1 title.

However, McLaren’s double disqualification has complicated matters, and now he’s going to have to use all of his experience to get over the line.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Jenson Button says Lando Norris is driving ‘more like’ Max Verstappen to win his first F1 title

Former F1 champion Jenson Button was speaking with strategist and pundit Bernie Collins on Sky Sports F1 (23/11 2:48 am) about what Norris can learn from Verstappen’s approach as he attempts to win his first drivers’ championship.

Collins said: “I think all of the drivers look at each other and see what they can learn.

“One from a technical lap-on-lap what they can learn, but think of Max’s aggressiveness, he never backs off, he never says, ‘Oh, that’s done’.

“Turn one is going to be really interesting today, they know each other. Lando knows that if Max has the slightest sniff on the inside of turn one, he is going to take it, and he is not going to back out.

“I think Lando has started to take on a bit of that, a bit of that need to prove to the person next to you that you are going to be pushing hard.”

Button replied: “Yeah, it’s really impressive to see and to see a turnaround of anyone in any sport that quickly is impressive.

“But I agree, I think he is a little bit more like Max with the way he’s driving now. He’s taking it race-by-race, which is great because you don’t think about bigger things, which get in the way of what you’re at, which is driving a racing car.”

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Lando Norris frustrated by Max Verstappen after losing Las Vegas Grand Prix result

Norris didn’t know he was going to be disqualified when he spoke immediately after the race, but it was clear that he wasn’t completely happy with finishing second to Verstappen.

Collins pointed out before the race how important turn one was going to be, and while Norris did well to immediately cover off Verstappen, once he missed his braking point, his hopes of winning the race were over.

Norris commented on Verstappen’s win before the podium ceremony, which came off the back of the McLaren driver, stating that he was frustrated that his Red Bull rival was faster than him at Interlagos.

Although Norris outscored Verstappen by 10 points in Brazil, but recognised that the Dutchman is still in championship contention, and that’s been thrust into the spotlight after his disqualification.

McLaren can’t afford to slip up again, and regardless of what Norris is doing on the track, if factors such as these that are out of his control don’t go his way, then Verstappen could complete the greatest comeback in Formula 1 history.