F1 News
Vettel chooses between Norris and Verstappen: 'He's hardened now'
Sebastian Vettel believes Max Verstappen will win the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship because he is "hardened" now. He admits he hopes it becomes closer over the remaining four race weekends but believes the challenge for Lando Norris is too difficult.
Norris must bridge a gap of 47-points with four Grands Prix and two sprint races remaining in the 2024 season. The McLaren driver, therefore, needs to maximise every single chance and hope that others can beat Verstappen to push him further down the finish order. Despite having a faster car, Vettel doesn't believe he can complete the task.
Who will win the Formula 1 World Championship?
"As much as I would like it to stay exciting until the end, I think Max is so hardened now and drives so confidently," Vettel stated to Sky Sports Germany. "Even though his car is not as strong as it was at the beginning of the year, I still see him as the favourite. He is strong enough to score enough points. Lando is also not going to win every race just like that," Vettel stated.
By this, Vettel is referring to Ferrari, which has recently started competing for wins. This makes it harder for Norris to catch up with his rival. "I think the favourites clearly lie with Max. Of course, as a neutral viewer, you do hope it will be even closer," he concluded.
This article has been created in collaboration with Tim Kraaij