Tiff Needell warns 120-start F1 driver is ‘a modern day Stirling Moss’

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The Formula 1 world championship is a surprisingly closely fought battle this season, with McLaren pushing Red Bull in the constructors’.

They could be considered favourites for the title despite having an eight-point deficit to overturn, as McLaren have been clearly quicker over the past few races, including in the Netherlands and in Italy.

The drivers’ championship has also been ignited after the British team’s upturn in form as Lando Norris tries to close down Max Verstappen’s 62-point advantage with eight races to go.

Norris has taken two victories this season but missed an opportunity to win last time out in Italy, slumping to third place behind teammate Oscar Piastri.

The 24-year-old Briton as been very transparent in interviews in F1 over the year, being honest about his lacklustre starts and errors.

Tiff Needell warned on his X account that Norris could miss out on a first world championship and compared him to Sir Stirling Moss.

Tiff Needell warns that McLaren’s Lando Norris ‘is way too honest’ in Formula 1

Norris has made a catalogue of errors this season, from a poor start in Hungary to a costly error on the opening lap of the Belgian Grand Prix at La Source.

These mistakes have allowed Verstappen to maintain a healthy advantage despite battling a lacklustre car and not winning since June’s Spanish Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver has also yet to win consecutive races in his career, which is vital to building championship success.

Needell believes that Norris needs to stop being so self-critical and that there have been multiple champions that have had assistance from their teammate.

He said: “Worry that Lando is way too honest with himself. Needs to stop beating himself up. The history books of Formula 1 are littered with champions helped to their title by a teammate … He’s a modern-day Stirling Moss, and he could join him as another champion that should have been!”

McLaren will back Lando Norris in his battle for the Drivers’ Championship

The Italian Grand Prix was a superb day for Charles Leclerc, but McLaren sensed a missed opportunity, failing to take full advantage of Verstappen’s slump to sixth place.

The British team will now back Norris in his title fight, he needs to take an average of eight points out of Verstappen’s every race weekend, leaving little room for error.

Formula 1’s next two races in Azerbaijan and the Singapore Grand Prix may present an opportunity for Norris to close the gap. These are two circuits that despite his dominance, Verstappen failed to win at last season.

Piastri pulled off a superb move to take the lead from Norris last time out in Italy, and it remains to be seen whether the Australian would relinquish a victory to his teammate.