Johnny Herbert believes that Lando Norris should still seriously fear Max Verstappen in the fight for the world championship. Despite Norris’ strong form in recent Grands Prix – with two consecutive victories prior to the race weekend in Las Vegas – the former Formula 1 driver and ex-FIA steward sees the Dutchman as a formidable title rival. Herbert even gives rare compliments to Verstappen.
Since the GP in Mexico City, Lando Norris has been leading the world championship. On the eve of the final triple header and the climax of the Formula 1 season, the Brit leads with a 24-point advantage over teammate Oscar Piastri. The gap to Max Verstappen is 49 points. The Dutchman is still in the race, but must take into account that his reign could come to an end after four years.
Johnny Herbert has watched Norris emerge as the title favorite in recent weeks. The Brit made an impressive comeback against Piastri and is currently in top form. “He was always weak at the start,” says Herbert. “That problem seems to have been solved. He also had weak spots in his racing skills, but I think that has improved too.” Herbert therefore sees a more complete driver than before: “Now that he has matured in those areas, I think he can handle the fight with Max (Verstappen) just fine.”
‘Max Can Turn the Tide’
However, Herbert warns that one should never write off Max Verstappen. The Brit, traditionally one of the Dutchman’s biggest critics, even offers rare compliments to Verstappen. For instance, Verstappen impressed by driving from the pit lane to the podium in Brazil. This is one of the reasons why Herbert remains convinced that the Red Bull driver can still secure a fifth title.
“Max can turn the tide in an instant; he’s always a threat,” Herbert emphatically stated. “Even if he has a bad weekend, he can work with his team and they understand exactly what he needs.” It’s for this reason that Herbert believes Lando Norris needs to stay sharp to maintain his lead. “Lando is well aware that he can’t rest on his laurels. He knows that any small mistake will only give Max a huge boost.”
