Max Verstappen, the reigning three-time Formula 1 World Champion, has revealed a key difference between his current title fight with Lando Norris and his intense 2021 championship battle with Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen, currently chasing his fourth consecutive title, highlighted the presence of multiple contenders in 2024 as a major point of contrast.
While Verstappen dominated the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Red Bull, racking up record wins, the 2024 campaign has proven far more competitive.
McLaren’s upgrades introduced in Miami shifted the balance of power, placing them atop the standings with a 41-point lead over Red Bull with only six races remaining.
Verstappen initially held a significant lead over Norris, but the young McLaren driver has steadily closed the gap, reducing the deficit from a high of 84 points after the British Grand Prix to the current 52 points.
The presence of Ferrari and Mercedes, who have each claimed three wins this season, adds another layer of complexity to the championship fight.
This multi-team battle contributes to Verstappen’s feeling of being “more relaxed” compared to the intense head-to-head duel with Hamilton in 2021.
“Right now we still have four teams at the front, while back then you just had the same two people up front,” Verstappen explained to Motorsport.com.
“2021 was my first world championship, so that was very different already. I think I’m a bit more relaxed about it now. Of course, I want to win and of course, I’m going to do my best to defend that [52-point] lead. But the feeling is very different from 2021.”
With pressure mounting on Red Bull to provide Verstappen with a car capable of retaining his crown, all eyes are on the upcoming races in the United States, Mexico, and beyond.
