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Lando Norris believes Max Verstappen is now a “genuine” contender for the F1 world championship but insisted McLaren will not have to make team-mate Oscar Piastri their number one.
Back-to-back victories for Verstappen sees him head into this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix 69 points behind Piastri, with 199 points still to play for over the remaining seven rounds.
Piastri crashed out of the last round in Azerbaijan while Norris started and finished seventh.
“He is genuinely a challenger,” said Norris of the four-time world champion.
“If you go back to the beginning of the season, they were challenging us for the first six or seven races for wins, then we brought some upgrades and improved a little bit.
“But then they brought a couple of upgrades and that has put them on the same level. We are still expecting to dominate and we come to these races with the goal and ambition of winning and wanting to dominate and continue the form we have shown all season.
“But in Baku we had the car to win and we didn’t. We had the chance to fight Max. At the round before in Monza they were too quick for us.
“And if there are some races coming up where he is too fast, which is very possible, because I expect them to be quick for many of the races this season…
Lando Norris says Max Verstappen is a ‘geniune’ contender for the F1 world title (Getty Images)
“We will go to Las Vegas and other low-downforce tracks where we don’t expect to be as great as we have been – so that is an opportunity for Red Bull – but we are just focusing on ourselves and maximising our performances.”
Norris is 25 points behind Piastri in the title race and, when asked if he is concerned McLaren will have to prioritise one of their stars to fend off Verstappen and land a first drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton won for the British team in 2008, Norris snapped back: “I am very concerned. I am very worried about it. And scared frankly.
“I am happy you asked that. No.”