Mario Andretti says Lando Norris ‘didn’t want to talk about’ one key weakness in Max Verstappen fight

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Lando Norris has a realistic shot at becoming a Formula 1 world champion for the first time. But virtual perfection will be required between now and the end of the season.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who’s going for a fourth consecutive title, holds a 52-point lead heading into the final six races, starting with this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. Norris needs to produce an all-time great comeback.

But recent events suggest it’s possible. The Briton has won two of the last four races by a margin of more than 20 seconds, while Verstappen is enduring an eight-race drought.

Red Bull are bringing major upgrades to Austin, but their previous packages have failed to deliver a clear improvement. Even if they do find time, McLaren may also have made progress in the lengthy break.

Crucially, there are other drivers who can take points off Verstappen as well. Oscar Piastri has been consistently close to Norris and will now be subject to team orders, while Ferrari and Mercedes are podium contenders at favourable tracks too.

However, Norris and McLaren have not yet shown they can maximise their opportunities. In the two races between his dominant wins, he fell from pole to third at Monza, and had to settle for fourth in Azerbaijan after a Q1 yellow flag mishap.

Lando Norris didn’t want to discuss his poor starts, Mario Andretti says

One area that has consistently held Norris back in 2024 is race starts. Including Sprints, he’s taken six pole positions this year, but only held the lead after the first lap once.

Poor getaways hurt him in China (Sprint), Spain and the Netherlands, while Piastri executed aggressive moves in Hungary and Italy. Singapore was the first time he’d managed to fend off the threats behind after starting at the front.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, F1 legend Mario Andretti noted that Norris had treated his starts as a ‘taboo’ subject. He needs to keep repeating his Marina Bay launch between now and Abu Dhabi.

“Lando finally managed to get the start right in Singapore, a taboo he didn’t want to talk about, and he could still improve until the end of the season,” Andretti said. “I met him this summer in America.

“We messed around a bit with my cars on a circuit near Chicago. I know that Zak Brown has a huge regard for the Englishman.”

Jenson Button tells McLaren to copy Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher tactic in last six races

The scope of McLaren’s team orders in the upcoming events could be key. Zak Brown has previously said Piastri won’t have to give up a win for Norris, because that’s not how they want to go racing.

But that stance will be tested if there’s an opportunity to gain a huge haul of points on Verstappen, whether he’s retired from a race or fallen down the order. McLaren haven’t won the drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton dramatically beat Felipe Massa in 2008.

Former driver Jenson Button has urged McLaren to copy Ferrari, who established Michael Schumacher as their clear number one during his era of dominance in the early 2000s. This would only last until the end of the season.

But Brown and Andrea Stella would be wary of damaging Piastri’s confidence. At 23, he’s the second-youngest driver on the grid behind Franco Colapinto, so McLaren need to protect him more than usual.