As the F1 action returns this weekend in COTA, so does the increasingly competitive Championship battle. Lando Norris looks to close the gap to Max Verstappen and capitalise on Red Bull’s poor mid-season development. However, from Helmut Marko’s perspective, a key difference separates Verstappen from his title rival.
Marko: Verstappen has a psychological edge over Norris
For the majority of the season, Max Verstappen has been on the defensive in his title fight against Lando Norris. McLaren have had the better package this season, especially after the European leg of the calendar.
Despite this, the reigning Champion has managed to limit his losses to the British team.
Strong performances from Verstappen, alongside strategic and operational mishaps from McLaren, have allowed the Dutchman to maintain a significant cushion in the Championship.
Still, ahead of the final six rounds of the year, it is imperative that Red Bull bring upgrades – otherwise they put themselves at McLaren’s mercy in the title race.
Inevitably, driver performances will also determine the Championship outcome. Speaking to Motorsport-Magazin, Helmut Marko argued that Verstappen’s mental edge will make the difference in the Championship battle.
Helmut Marko doubts Lando Norris
The Red Bull senior advisor explained why he thinks Verstappen will retain the title, as quoted by es.motorsport.com:
“He is the best, the fastest and – above all – has the mental strength to theoretically fight for a title more than Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.
“We know Norris has some mental weaknesses. I’ve read some of the rituals he needs to do to perform well in the race.”
In almost traditional fashion, Marko is unapologetically blunt in his assessments. In an equally manner, the 81-year-old reiterated his belief in Max Verstappen’s pedigree compared to the rest of the field.
His claims about Verstappen having a mental edge over Leclerc and Norris are bound to be disputed. After all, there is only a small sample size to assess how the British driver responds to the pressure of a title battle.
Only since the summer break has the 24-year-old been described as a legitimate challenger.
More comments of this nature are to be expected in the coming weeks as the Championship fight intensifies. There are also three sprints left on the calendar, which will add another spanner in the works for the contenders.
