Martin Brundle is clear on his advice for Lando Norris to see a positive change from the McLaren star amid the drama involving his rivals, George Russell and Max Verstappen.
Norris has largely enjoyed a great season in 2024 to emerge as a title contender for the first time in Formula 1. A host of errors along the way ultimately cost the Briton too many points to truly fight Verstappen for the title along with the Dutchman’s dominant start to his campaign.
Yet the drama at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix involves Verstappen and Russell with their war of words from the Qatar Grand Prix rumbling on. The Red Bull driver claimed he lost all respect for the Mercedes racer at Lusail and the feeling is now mutual entering the last race of 2024.
Martin Brundle urges Lando Norris to be more like George Russell amid his Max Verstappen drama
Russell has lost the respect he held for Verstappen over how the Dutchman bemoaned how he felt the Briton went out of his way to get him a grid penalty in Qatar. The Mercedes pilot has even claimed Verstappen threatened to put Russell in the wall before the race at Lusail.
The Red Bull racer has denied making a threat, but Russell has been praised for standing up to Verstappen. Now, Brundle has also urged Norris to ‘definitely’ follow in Russell’s example and stop feeding the 27-year-old’s confidence after calling Verstappen the best driver in F1.
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Brundle is adamant that the advice he would offer Norris would be to be more like Russell in standing up to Verstappen. But while the renowned pundit thinks Norris has already learned his rival is only interested in himself, he questions if the Briton has the personality for a feud.
“If he asked me that advice, I would say, ‘Yes, definitely’,” Brundle stated on Sky Sports News (7/12, 09:24). “You can’t get out the car and go, ‘Well, I’m trying to beat the greatest. Max is the best and it’s difficult’. That just feeds Max’s confidence.
“But you can’t also be someone you’re not because you can’t keep it up. The mask wears off quite quickly and that’s Lando’s personality. But Lando’s stepped his game up. He’s found an overdrive in the second half of this season on the track.
“I think he’s learned the hard way in Austria and other places, Austin would be another one, that whilst Max might be a bit of a mate – a bit of an online racing and travel companion – when push comes to shove, Max is all about Max.”
Lando Norris is likely to disappoint Martin Brundle after defending Max Verstappen
Brundle is not the only person to say Norris should be more like Russell amid his drama with Verstappen at the Abu Dhabi GP. Craig Slater believes Russell is doing what fans want Norris to in challenging Verstappen. Yet the McLaren driver is likely to disappoint Brundle and fans.
When discussing the drama between his rivals ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP, Norris surprised Slater by defending Verstappen instead of backing up Russell. The Briton has also professed that he feels the Dutchman is ‘the best driver in the world’ and ‘one of the best’ ever in F1.
That is despite Verstappen crashing into Norris in their fight to win the Austrian Grand Prix and forcing him off the road twice in the United States Grand Prix. The stewards also twice penalised Verstappen for forcing Norris off the track in the Mexico City Grand Prix this year.
