Max Verstappen ‘still the master’ over Norris after ‘exploiting regulations’ in US GP fireworks

Anthony Davidson has told Max Verstappen’s F1 2024 rivals they must “really start taking the fight to him” to stand any chance of dethroning the three-time World Champion.

Verstappen has lost his cloak of invincibility after winning 35 of 43 races contested between July 2022 and June of this year. He has come up short in each of his nine starts since Barcelona.

Max Verstappen ‘still the master out there’ in F1 2024

Yet after seeing the Dutchman take the Sprint and finish ahead of nearest rival Lando Norris at last weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Davidson insists that “Max is still the master out there.”

The F1 star turned Sky F1 analyst told PlanetF1.com: “The beauty of F1 these days is we really are going into races not knowing who’s going to win.

“Lando has clearly got the talent to be a World Champion. If he’d started the year with the car he’s got now I think he’d be leading the Championship. I really do.

“The speed he’s had in some races this year has been absolutely phenomenal. Singapore [where Norris won with 20 seconds to spare] was just such domination.

“But to convince people like myself watching on that you have those [title] credentials, it’s time to start really taking that fight to Verstappen on track. And in that race in Austin, it was like Max is still the master out there.”

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Norris started on pole but had lost his advantage by Turn 1 and never got it back, letting slip a golden chance to close on Verstappen in the race for the Drivers’ Championship – instead allowing his rival to extend his advantage to 57 points with five races remaining.

“Lando left a gap open into Turn 1, Max capitalised on it,” said Davidson. “Yes, some thought he pushed him off the circuit at Turn 1, but him knowing that you’re allowed to do that on the first corner of the opening lap where they’re free to race, he’s exploiting these regulations.

“He knows the framework and he’s using it to his advantage. He’s ruthless, he’s brilliant, he’s annoying. Annoyingly good, if you’re Lando sitting there in Austin, at doing what he does. Defending his position or attacking.”

Davidson added: “I need to see someone dominating him, not just in terms of speed, I need to see someone dominating him in terms of race craft and becoming that master.

“Because Max, he’s there. He’s got the confidence, he’s a triple world champion, on the way to his fourth, and you see this air of confidence around him which naturally you think: ‘Yeah, that’s a World Champion.’

“I need to see other people really starting to be the one bullying him around a bit more on track.”

Next up is the Mexican Grand Prix, a race won by Verstappen for the last three years and five times out of the latest six.

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