Ex-F1 driver claims it’s ‘too late’ for Lando Norris to put pressure on Max Verstappen for 2024 title

Juan Pablo Montoya believes Lando Norris can’t put more pressure on Max Verstappen with just six races to go in 2024.

Ex-F1 driver claims it’s ‘too late’ for Lando Norris to put pressure on Max Verstappen for 2024 title

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

At the start of the season, Red Bull showcased impressive performance, mirroring their 2023 run. However, car issues soon hindered their progress, allowing McLaren to capitalize. McLaren improved its car’s speed and seized the Constructors’ Championship lead from Red Bull. Currently, they aim for the individual standings, where Max Verstappen currently leads by 52 points. Despite this, Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes, now it’s challenging for Lando Norris to contend for the drivers’ title.

To become world champion, Lando Norris needs to close a 52-point gap in the next six races of the season. He also has a chance to earn points in three sprint races. However, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes that even if Norris wins every race, he still may not become the winner. As Max Verstappen is consistently finishing on the podium, which limits Norris’s ability to make significant gains in the standings.

YouTube video

A recent example was in Singapore, where the Briton finished first with a 21-second lead, but Verstappen was second. As a result, he only reduced his point gap by seven points. That’s the tough reality McLaren faces.

FS Video

The hard thing for McLaren is Max keeps finishing the podium.

Juan Pablo Montoya told Gambling Zone

McLaren had stated that Lando Norris appears more likely to contend for the 2024 title, so they will prioritize him over Oscar Piastri. However, Juan Pablo Montoya argues that it was too late for McLaren to decide their priority. He believes they should have prioritized Norris long before he struggled in the Azerbaijan GP, despite securing pole. If they had focused on him from the beginning, they could have applied pressure on Verstappen. Piastri would likely have finished in second or third place due to the car’s speed.

But McLaren had the opportunity to close that gap and put more pressure on Max, but it’s maybe now too late.

Juan Pablo Montoya said.

Juan Pablo Montoya asserts that McLaren should have prioritized Lando Norris from start of 2024

Their initial strategy aimed to secure the constructors’ championship by balancing both drivers for maximum points. However, this approach may hinder Norris’s chance at his first title due to poor decision-making. Montoya emphasizes that McLaren should have confirmed their leading driver halfway through the season.

Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya (Via IMAGO)

This decision would have allowed for clearer focus and better support for Norris in his championship pursuit. He believes this mistake serves as a valuable lesson for all teams in Formula 1. It highlights the importance of clear communication and strategic prioritization for success.

McLaren should have made the decision about who is number one earlier. It’s a good lesson for all the teams. They should say that halfway through the season whoever is ahead becomes number one for the second half of the season.

Juan Pablo Montoya explained.

For Lando Norris to win the championship, he will need support from his teammate, Oscar Piastri. Piastri should aim to finish at least second defending Verstappen while Norris takes the top spot. This approach would boost Norris’s chances of claiming his first Formula 1 title. Ultimately, this strategy could also lead to a Constructors’ Championship victory for the team.