According to the current runner-up in the championship standings there's nothing McLaren can do about Max Verstappen's late charge for the 2025 Drivers' crown. From that side, nothing we can do about him. He's been quick, they've been very fast. He's been doing a good job like they have been all season
- Lando NorrisAfter his DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix, Norris has finished systematically ahead of teammate
Oscar Piastri in every race, cutting the Aussie's lead in the standings down to 14 points, with five rounds left to go, still Norris tempers his chances, whilst stating he won't change the approach he's had since the season started in Australia in March.
He said: "I mean, it's not like I've won every race since, so it's not like this has been an easy return to, from what it was 30-something points, to what it is now.
"Quite a few points to turn around, especially against an incredible driver in the same car. So I feel like I've been doing a good job from that case, but of course there's another guy who's been winning the races and has been catching even more," added Norris in a clear reference to Verstappen.
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris shaking hands at COTA - Photo: Race Pictures
Since the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen's lowest position finish has been P2 at Zandvoort and Singapore.
In Italy, Azerbaijan and the U.S, the Red Bull Racing driver took the pole and the win, which coupled with McLaren's struggles at said venues has seen Verstappen come back into the championship fight with full force reducing the gap to championship leader Oscar Piastri by 64 points down to 40.
He continued: "But from that side, nothing we can do about him. He's been quick, they've been very fast. He's been doing a good job like they have been all season. He's had many pole positions through the whole year, so it's not like they were ever that bad. He's had pole positions at almost every single point of the year.
Lando Norris in Austin - Photo: Race Pictures
"So yeah, no surprise that when it just clicks a little bit more, they get the car in a better place and Mike says what he does, that they're catching up at the same time time it doesn't change anything that I do. I try and win the race every weekend, that's my approach, it has been for a while, and that's the approach I'll continue with," he concluded.
Hamilton issues warning for Piastri and Norris
According to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, and the only driver on the grid who knows what it's like to go up against Verstappen in a title fight all the way down to the wire, the Red Bull Racing driver
could snatch the Driver's title if both McLaren drivers didn't assume a more 'cut-throat' attitude.
He said: "It's definitely a time where you really have to put your blinkers up, you have to block absolutely everything from the outside, all this because there's so much coming in, positive and negative.
"Also you really have to be cut-throat. That's what Max is, he's going to take this from them if they don't do the same.
"They've got to be pushing and you have got to dig deep to, firstly, be able to hold off someone like Max and in the car that he's in at the moment.
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