Norris: 'If you lose to Verstappen, you are the second driver'

McLaren driver Lando Norris sees himself battling Max Verstappen in the future. The Briton says in an interview with Ziggo Sport that he is up for it, but he also knows it will not be an easy task to give the Dutchman a hard time. Norris also winkingly offered Verstappen an immediate seat at McLaren.

Norris indicated to Ziggo Sport's Jack Plooij that he would love to compete with Verstappen in the future. The McLaren driver then joked: "I would love an opportunity to do it in the future. Maybe Max is bored of winning and he can come to McLaren!"

When asked whether it is nonsense that you are automatically the second driver in the team when Verstappen is driving alongside you, Norris is adamant that's not the case: "Not at all. If you lose to him, you’re the second driver," said the McLaren driver.

However, the McLaren driver does not think competing against the Dutchman will be easy. He sees Verstappen as one of the best drivers in Formula 1 history and refuses a resounding 'yes' to the question of whether he can be as fast as the Red Bull driver. "I want to believe so. It’s impossible to say yes or no. I’m not the guy with so much confidence that I go 'yeah, easy.' I think it’s impossible, nobody will ever be able to say ‘yeah I can easily beat Max.' It’s impossible. I think Max is one of the best drivers you’ll ever see in F1. Even when he’s winning, be happy you’re witnessing what he can achieve. I don’t think many people will be able to do a similar thing."