'Verstappen drove like a four-time champion, Norris has to know the rules'
F1 News
F1 commentator and former F1 driver Marc Surer said Max Verstappen's performance was that of "a four-time world champion" after a stunning win at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The 73-year-old was also critical of Lando Norris, with the Brit wasting a massive opportunity to make a real indent in the Dutchman's championship lead.
After leading a McLaren 1=2 in the sprint race, Norris started the Grand Prix at Interlagos in pole position, while an untimely red flag for Verstappen plus his five-place grid penalty meant he started way down the grid in P17. It looked to be the perfect opportunity for Norris to cut into the then 42-point lead Verstappen held over him, while damage limitation was the main expectation coming from the Dutchman's race.
However, in a chaotic Grand Prix that was full of torrential rain and many crashes, Verstappen showed why he is the best driver on the grid, mastering the conditions brilliantly to slice through the field, moving up into the points on the first lap. A great all from Red Bull meant he jumped Norris in the pits, and he never looked back, easily getting into the lead to then win by over 13 seconds.
Norris, who has been marred by poor starts in 2024, made yet another one in Sao Paulo after George Russell bested him into turn 1. Mistakes in the wet meant he could not close up to anyone and make any overtakes, and they also resulted in him slipping down the grid all the way to P6, resulting in a huge missed opportunity and a title-defining blow to the McLaren driver.
Surer amazed at Verstappen, not so at Norris
According to Surer, Verstappen drove 'like a four-time world champion' on Sunday, giving the Dutchman a 10/10 for his magical performance while speaking to Motorsport-Total. Esteban Ocon, who finished second behind Verstappen, was awarded the rating, which led to Alpine's double podium as teammate Pierre Gasly rounded out the top three. On Ocon, Surer explained: "In the Sprint race, he was still mediocre. What he showed on Sunday was world-class."
However, while the man from Switzerland was full of praise, and rightly so, for the top two drivers, there was none of that for Norris. Summing up the McLaren driver's weekend, Surer said: "A given win in the sprint and a pole. The rest was nothing to write home about. As a candidate for the title, you have to know the regulations."
Of course, Surer is referring to the incident at the start of the Grand Prix that added to the chaos of the race. During the formation lap, Lance Stroll ended up in the gravel, meaning that the start procedure was aborted. However, instead of staying on the grid in his correct slot, Norris went off for a second warm-up lap. As a result, no time penalty was added, but it did earn him a reprimand and a €5,000 fine.
This article was created in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen
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