Lando Norris believes Max Verstappen is “absolutely” the greatest driver in the history of Formula 1 and that not a single driver on the grid would be capable of taking the fight to him instantly at Red Bull.
Norris has been linked with a move to Red Bull for some time, with himself and Verstappen having both admitted previously that they’d like to be team-mates in the future.
However, the chances of that happening now are very slim, following McLaren’s recent announcement that Norris has signed a “multi-year” contract extension.
The British driver is now set to enter the new power regulations in 2026 with the Woking-based team, meaning Red Bull will have to look elsewhere for a suitable partner for Verstappen.
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Verstappen is currently in the form of his life and is simply too much for Sergio Perez to deal with.
He’s won a staggering 34 races since the start of 2022 alone, whilst Red Bull have been victorious 38 times in the last two years.
The three-time World Champion has made Red Bull a fortress, just like Sebastian Vettel did just over a decade ago.
Verstappen is so comfortable at Red Bull that he can make the impossible seem possible, potentially because “everything is built up around him”, according to Norris.
Any driver currently on the grid wouldn’t want to be alongside the 26-year-old currently, with Norris believing that even the Verstappen of a few years ago wouldn’t beat the current version of himself.
He is so settled at Red Bull that it’s a ridiculous challenge for someone to partner him and instantly perform, to the extent that switching to the Austrians isn’t a “smart move”.
“It’s a longer discussion than saying that,” Norris told Sky Sports. “Is Max Verstappen the best driver in Formula One history? Absolutely yes, I think he’s proved that well enough.
“He’s in a team that he’s very comfortable in. Everything is built up around him. For anyone – even for the Max of a few years ago – to go up against the Max of now, it’s extremely difficult.
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“I don’t think it’s a question of, ‘Are you scared [to drive alongside Verstappen]?’ I don’t think I’ll ever be scared of going against anyone. Even if you’re in a team, are you in a position to challenge someone straight away? Are you comfortable doing that? I think it’s a no for any driver.
“It takes time to adapt and it takes time to get things into place. If you want to go against the best driver in the world, it’s not the best thing to do. It’s not a smart move to do.
“But I would love to race against Max, I’ve enjoyed some of the battles that we’ve had. I’m even more looking forward to the battles that we’re going to have this year.”