Lando Norris and Max Verstappen have enjoyed the most intense Formula 1 fight in three years this season – a new dawn for the sport.
The two clashed in spectacular fashion at the Mexico City Grand Prix, and regardless of whether the reigning world champion was in the wrong, we hadn’t seen them fight like that before.
Even Helmut Marko said Verstappen deserved a penalty, which is a rare approach for the Austrian to take during an intense championship fight.
But McLaren have just failed to capitalise on their clear car advantage, and Verstappen’s previously mammoth lead has proven to be too much for them to overcome.
Lando Norris has made ‘change’ in the way he talks about Max Verstappen
Both Norris and Verstappen have been friends tracing back to their days in go-karts, long before they arrived in Formula 1.
Their relationship has always been quite a good one, but we have seen before that friendships can turn sour very quickly.
Just think back to Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, who were very tight before being teammates and championship rivals ruined their connection.
Defeat is now inevitable for Norris, with a 62-point gap to close in three races, and ESPN journalist Nate Saunders has noticed a change from the Brit since his Mexico clash with Verstappen.
“After Mexico, what I noticed was Lando talked in a way that he hadn’t before about racing Max, which beforehand, it was ‘give him the benefit of the doubt, I don’t think he’s doing it intentionally’.
“It then switched to like, you’ve got to race Max differently, ‘I’ve got to be smarter’ is what he said, paraphrasing what it was. There was that admission of, ‘I have to change the way I’m viewing this’.”
Who is the favourite for the F1 2025 title – Verstappen or Norris?
On current form, it would be a fair assumption to say that McLaren should be in the best position to win the drivers’ championship in 2025.
Whether that’s with Norris or his teammate Oscar Piastri, they have outdeveloped all of their rivals and have the most momentum currently.
They’re about to end a 16-year title drought, which will hand them a welcome boost as the sport heads into its final year of technical regulations.
READ MORE: Guenther Steiner tells Lando Norris what he ‘definitely has to do’ to beat Oscar Piastri next season
For 2026, it’s anyone’s game, as the field often shakes up when new rules arrive, but it also adds pressure to McLaren and Ferrari’s (who have a great car now too) next campaign.
Both teams will be aware that their advantage may not last forever, and that 2025 could be their last chance to take advantage of that opportunity and secure a double crown.
Red Bull’s current position suggests that without some incredible development, they will be left to take a backseat in that fight until their car is up to the standard of their rivals again.
It makes a championship charge, regardless of Verstappen’s heroics in the cockpit, pretty unlikely.
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