Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris told how Max Verstappen will ‘intimidate’ them at the Sao Paulo GP

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Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are separated by just one point in the standings heading into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, but they also have Max Verstappen to worry about.

The Dutchman has dramatically closed the gap to the McLarens since the summer break, winning three races at Monza, Baku and COTA. He sits 36 points behind Norris in the standings, who took the lead over Piastri after his dominant win in Mexico.

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix presents an unpredictable weekend for the title protagonists, especially with the weather conditions. Andrea Stella says Verstappen will ‘punish’ McLaren if it rains – he won the race from P17 in 2024 in torrential conditions.

With Red Bull closing the gap to McLaren in terms of development, Verstappen could be in a position to challenge for the title in the final four races. He has certainly had the upper hand over Piastri, who has failed to beat the Dutchman and Norris in the last five events.

Piastri has been intimidated by Verstappen, which is something he has to shake if he wants to recover his title charge. But Johnny Herbert has warned the Aussie that that may not change in Sao Paulo this weekend.

Johnny Herbert says Max Verstappen will ‘intimidate’ Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to crash at the Sao Paulo GP

The pressure is being piled onto Norris and Piastri by Verstappen as he closes the gap in the standings. It has been getting to McLaren, with the team clearly worried about Red Bull’s sudden gain in development.

Their on-track battles have not helped matters either, with Norris and Piastri crashing during the Sprint at COTA. Herbert and 1996 F1 champion Damon Hill discussed how Verstappen could make the pair come to blows again in Brazil.

Speaking via Stay on Track, Hill made his prediction for the Sprint race on Saturday: “This is what’s going to happen. They’re going to go down. They’ll qualify… Max will be third. It’s in Brazil. This is the Sprint.

“OK, Max will be third, Lando will be a pole, Oscar will be second. They’ll go down to turn one and they’ll go: ‘I’m having you off’. And then Max will win.

Herbert – “Well, but again, he will intimidate them into doing that as well, which is going to be absolutely interesting to watch and brilliant at the end of the day.”

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

Could Max Verstappen win the 2025 title?

With 36 points separating Verstappen and Norris and there being 116 points still up for grabs, it is entirely possible that the Red Bull driver could clinch his fifth consecutive driver’s title. It would be foolish for one to count him out.

The 28-year-old has clearly been the top driver in the past few races, having regained his confidence in the RB21 as Laurent Mekies gives him more freedom with setup. As the McLarens battle amongst themselves for the title, the door could open for Verstappen.

Otmar Szafnauer says Verstappen takes ‘more risks’ than the McLaren pair, highlighting how far he will go to win. Given the gap to Norris, he will certainly look to do just that as he eyes a fifth title.

Ralf Schumacher told Verstappen he must be ‘flawless’ to win the 2025 championship for this position. He may have to bank on the two McLarens colliding again to give him the best chance of winning the title.