Lando Norris thinks 26-year-old F1 rival is ‘way better’ than every driver in crucial area

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Lando Norris has now outlined the one crucial area where the McLaren driver thinks Max Verstappen of Red Bull was ‘way better’ than every Formula 1 rival during 2023.

Last year saw Verstappen register the most dominant season in F1 history with 19 wins from 22 Grand Prix. He also shattered his own record from 2022 for the most points scored in one season on 575. The 26-year-old had more than double that of runner-up Sergio Perez (285).

Verstappen secured further records for the longest winning streak (10) and best win percent (86.3%). The Red Bull pilot also became the first driver to lead over 1,000 laps in one season with 1,033. It all culminated in the Dutchman becoming a three-time consecutive champion.

Lando Norris praises Max Verstappen’s tyre management skills

But it was not Verstappen’s sheer dominance during the 22 Grand Prix that impressed Norris the most throughout 2023. Instead, the McLaren driver has listed the Hasselt, Belgium-born star’s tyre management as the trait which placed him head and shoulders above the F1 grid.

It was also owing to Verstappen’s brilliant tyre preservation skills that Norris admits he knew he would not win the United States GP. The 24-year-old ultimately got second at COTA after the stewards disqualified Lewis Hamilton out of P2 for excessive wear to his Mercedes’ floor.

Norris told Motorsport.com: “The likelihood of losing a position to Max in Austin and how I raced Lewis versus how I raced Max, in the end I kind of knew I was going to lose positions to both of them.

“That’s not a bad attitude, that’s just being realistic and honest about the situations I’m in. “The chance of keeping Max behind was basically zero. He was way too quick, his tyre degradation – I don’t know if anyone saw this year – was way better than everyone.”

What happened to Lando Norris at the 2023 United States GP?

Norris qualified second to Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc at COTA, with Hamilton in third and Verstappen down in P6. But Norris took the chequered flag for the United States GP 10.730 seconds behind the Red Bull driver. Hamilton initially finished in P2, 2.225 seconds from P1.

The McLaren star even led the United States GP after Leclerc, who the stewards would later disqualify for floor wear, pitted on Lap 23. But Verstappen got past Norris for the lead down the Briton’s inside at Turn 12 on L28. The Red Bull pilot built his lead after the second stops.