verstappen-sitting-down-after-singapore-gp
Max Verstappen sitting after the demanding Singapore GP - Photo: Race Pictures
F1 News

Verstappen 'needs some luck,' but 'can't be ruled out of title fight'

09:51, 09 Oct
Updated: 09:54, 09 Oct
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Johnny Herbert believes Max Verstappen did not gain the most in Singapore in terms of the title battle, but he can’t rule the defending champion out.
"You can’t rule him out. He seems to be very comfortable with the car once again."
- Johnny Herbert
Verstappen finished ahead of the two McLaren drivers in Singapore in second place, as the Woking-based team secured the constructors' championship for the second year in a row.
The Dutchman cut the gap by six points to Oscar Piastri in the drivers' standings last Sunday.
According to former F1 driver and steward Johnny Herbert, it was not the Red Bull driver but third-placed Norris gained the most last weekend.
"He's the one who's got closer to Oscar," the Brit told a betting site.
Despite Red Bull historically struggling at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Herbert saw the team achieve an encouraging result. "They did show that once again they had the pace.
“Max again just showed that he's not out of it at the moment. And because this battle's going on with Oscar and Lando, there's a potential for points to be taken away from them, which happened in Singapore because Max took points off the two McLaren drivers.
“Lando came out of it the best because he’s only 22 points behind. It was a tough race for Max, but he got the job done in difficult situations.”
PositionsDriversPoints
1stOscar Piastri336
2ndLando Norris314
3rdMax Verstappen273

Herbert can't rule the four-time champion out

Herbert continued: "Realistically he's probably not really got the chance if the other two just keep on racing as they have been."
According to the Briton, he will need some luck, as he trails Piastri by 63 points with six weekends to go.
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Max Verstappen on the Singapore podium - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
"And that luck is if the other two take the points away from each other and then give them to Max. That’s his biggest chance of doing it.
“But you can’t rule him out. He seems to be very comfortable with the car once again.
"The balance of the car definitely is shifting in a positive way for him. The harmony that he seems to have with the car at the moment is just what he's needed it to be,” he concluded.
The Formula 1 season continues next weekend with the United States Grand Prix, which last year featured a great battle between Verstappen and Norris.

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