The fight between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris will rank among the moments of the season not only because of its attractiveness, but also because of its importance for the fight for the title. Their show of strength at the end of the race quite aptly underlined the course of the whole season, when Lando Norris attacked and had the technical superiority, but did not yet show the level of aggression and mental resilience required of a world champion. Verstappen coped with him and, according to Helmut Mark, clearly confirmed his qualitative superiority over his rivals.
By all accounts, Red Bull was again not faster than McLaren, but again emerged from the race as the better one. How many times have we seen this already this season? If someone with a worse single-seater beats an opponent in a faster machine, it perfectly confirms that today’s Formula 1 is not only about the car. The pilot is still the most important part, especially in heated situations.
“He optimally controlled a difficult-to-manage car,” he praised his charge Helmut Marko. “We had a problem on medium hard and hard tires, although we did not lack speed in the sprint. It’s incredible what Max performed under a lot of pressure and on worn tires.”
Although Verstappen’s defense in the fight with Norris has drawn criticism and opposition from the camp of his haters, it is the result that counts at the finish line. The Red Bull pilot handled the difficult situation flawlessly and made a decisive move in the fight for the title. Norris tried it several times, and in the final he may not have lacked speed or racing skills, but rather a psychological advantage over his opponent.
“We all know that Max is tough in fights and won’t let himself be outdone. He drove like a champion,” he declared Marko. However, he, like Verstappen, was most pleased with what this race meant for the fight for the title. Norris’s chances were significantly reduced after this defeat and now it is out of his hands. The McLaren driver will need at least one elimination of the overall leader.
“This is definitely a turning point in the championship,” he declared Marko. “We improved the car in Baku and took the first step, the second came in Singapore and the next here in Austin. It certainly showed in qualifying, although we made little progress in the race.”
“We want the title and that is our main goal. We took a big step this weekend and Max showed that he is the best. Of course he wants to win more races, but at the end of the day, only the title counts.” added the Red Bull advisor.
