“Probably would’ve won the constructors”: Lando Norris shares his take on Max Verstappen not having ‘an equal teammate’

Lando Norris believes that Red Bull could have won the constructors’ championship if Max Verstappen had a teammate performing at a similar level. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda in Qatar, the Briton highlighted the disparity between the Dutchman and Sergio Perez as a crucial factor in Red Bull’s unexpected third place in the standings.

Currently behind McLaren and Ferrari in the constructors’ championship, Red Bull’s position is a stark contrast to its dominance in recent seasons. Perez’s lack of performance handed vital points to both Ferrari and McLaren. Norris emphasized how McLaren and Ferrari have maximized their opportunities, with both drivers delivering consistent and closely matched performances, which has been key in their standings.

Norris acknowledged that a more balanced lineup at Red Bull could have secured the team the title but praised the Milton Keynes team for its efforts. He also commended Verstappen’s exceptional ability to outperform his competitors, noting that the reigning champion’s dominance has made it even harder for his teammates to match his level.

Asked by Sportskeeda if Red Bull would have won the constructors championship or would have been harder to beat with two equal drivers, Lando Norris replied:

“Yeah, I mean Red Bull probably would have won the constructors if they had two drivers as good as Max, that's for sure. That's clear, that's obvious. It shows that as a team, they've still probably done the best job. But yeah, it's tough. I mean, Max has proved that everyone he's gone up against, he's beaten. That's tough for any teammate that he's had, but it's got nothing to do with me. That's not my... I don't care, he can have whoever he wants as a teammate.”

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Lando Norris elaborated on the pros and cons of Max Verstappen not having an equal teammate

Lando Norris believes that Max Verstappen not having an equally competitive teammate has been both a blessing and a challenge. On one hand, the Briton pointed out that the Dutchman faced no internal competition in terms of performance. On the other hand, he felt that Verstappen lacked the support of a teammate capable of contributing equally to car development. He commended the four-time world champion for shouldering much of the car’s development work on his own but noted that having a subpar teammate made some of the data collection from the second car less relevant.

From a team perspective, Norris acknowledged that this dynamic could be difficult, as it limits the ability to run parallel tests on both cars to understand the developmental direction better. Reflecting on his own experience, the Briton stated his preference for a teammate who pushes him to improve and suggested that having a similarly competitive teammate could benefit Verstappen.

Asked if not having opposition within his team made it easier for Verstappen to clinch the drivers' title, Norris replied:

“No, I mean, there's pros and cons. There's pros of having which is he has to do all of his work on his own, heads off to him. He doesn't have someone who's pushing him, he doesn't have someone who's trying other things with the car, and you can't do A to B tests and things that because data is not as valuable when you don't have someone who's performing at the same level. So there's a lot of things that Max can do that are phenomenal. Driving at the level he does consistently without a teammate that can push him in any way, certainly makes his life harder from that perspective also from team perspective.”

“At the same time, there's no pressure, he doesn't have to deal with trying to beat anyone in his own team. That comes with some comfort, but they go together. Sometimes, in some ways, I like having a bit of pressure because it makes me do a slightly better job. I'm sure he's going to say he doesn't care if he has whatever his teammate is, he's not going to mind. There's pros and cons of having a strong teammate and I hope at some point he has one that can challenge him a bit more.”

Max Verstappen secured the drivers’ championship in Las Vegas, extending his lead over Lando Norris to 62 points at the time. Another victory in Qatar further widened the gap to 80 points, with just one race remaining on the calendar. However, Red Bull’s chances in the constructors’ championship have been compromised due to Sergio Perez’s underperformance. The team now trails Ferrari by 29 points and McLaren by 53 points.

Perez has managed to score only 152 points across 23 races and six sprint events in the 2024 season, casting doubt over his future with the team despite being contracted until the end of 2025. His struggles have raised questions about Red Bull’s lineup strategy and its impact on the team's championship campaign.