Double Standards in Max Verstappen's Actions Highlighted as Lando Norris Falls Victim to Cunning Dutch Racer

tháng 9 26, 2023

Double Standards in Max Verstappen's Actions Highlighted as Lando Norris Falls Victim to Cunning Dutch Racer

An interesting image from the Japanese GP circulated on social media, depicting Max Verstappen leading the race in his RB19 while his closest rival, Lando Norris, could be seen in the distance on the opposite side of Suzuka's figure-of-eight circuit. This image effectively highlighted Verstappen's dominant victory in the Japanese GP. A winning margin of 19.7 seconds under dry conditions was truly remarkable for the Dutch driver. However, there was a subtle difference in how Verstappen approached the challenge posed by Lando Norris at the start of the race in Suzuka.

Typically, it is Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, or drivers like Russell or Sainz who vie with Max for position into Turn 1 in any race. While Lando Norris did so at the British GP (and performed admirably, leading for multiple laps), the astute Dutch racer likely had confidence in his ability to ultimately outperform the McLaren driver.

Is Max Verstappen showing leniency in his racing approach towards Lando Norris?

Reflecting on the British GP, Lando Norris, starting from P2, made an impressive start. He skillfully defended against Verstappen to take the lead, fully aware that Max would eventually overtake him. Norris was assertive in his defense at the start. However, it raises the question of how Max Verstappen approached this competition.

Verstappen and Norris share a close friendship, and Max likely has a deep understanding of Lando's racing style. Additionally, Lando has not been in the position to consistently challenge Max like Leclerc, Hamilton, Sainz, or Russell have. Therefore, there is a possibility that Verstappen may have applied different racing standards when competing against Norris compared to his approach with Leclerc and the others.

Even the experienced Formula 1 veteran and journalist, Peter Windsor, delved into this matter in his analysis of the Japanese GP. He remarked, "And Lando was ahead as they went through the first part, the kink, the right kink. He is definitely ahead. There was a moment there, if he had been a George or, dare I say, Kevin Magnussen, probably even a Charles Leclerc; I think he would have gone for it."

Windsor pointed out that Lando possesses the knowledge of when to attack and when to hold back based on the situation. Hence, Verstappen might have observed Norris not making an aggressive move and seized the opportunity to overtake him, considering it a less formidable challenge. Peter further elaborated, "He was almost there, but then he gave the position to Max. I think from Max’s point of view, again, considering the psychology of the individual, he was thinking: well, this isn’t Charles, this isn’t George, this is Lando; I think I have got this, I know I have got this. Put the head down, go! And so it proved."

This situation may be viewed as a matter of double standards by some and as a dynamic racing strategy by others. Nevertheless, Verstappen is achieving results and effectively addressing challenges from multiple drivers in such scenarios. Norris is the latest addition to the list of those he has competed against. However, the critical question remains: can Norris consistently match and surpass Verstappen's performance over an entire season?

When will Lando Norris have the opportunity to realize his aspirations of outperforming Verstappen?

After getting a distant glimpse of victory, Lando Norris is optimistic about closing in on Red Bull. Despite McLaren's impressive performance following multiple upgrade packages, it might be a challenging endeavor for the Woking team to consistently outperform Red Bull this season unless Verstappen and his team encounter difficulties similar to what happened in Singapore.

The practical timeline for McLaren and Norris to catch up to Red Bull should be aimed at 2024. If they are on the right trajectory in terms of development, the winter break presents an ideal opportunity to bridge any performance gap. Norris understands that if they can successfully narrow that gap, the McLaren team could potentially challenge Red Bull throughout the entire season.

McLaren will be eager to seize any unexpected opportunities until the end of this year, should any issues arise with the Red Bull team's performance. Norris is determined not to miss any chance for victory. However, the overarching and realistic focus should be on development for the 2024 season, preparing for a head-to-head battle starting in Bahrain in March.

What are your thoughts on Lando Norris's chances of surpassing Verstappen? Do you believe he can achieve this with McLaren in 2024?

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