Does Lando Norris have what it takes to be a champion…or a runner-up?

There are some sentences that age worse than others. The one pronounced by Lando Norris in 2020, the day when Lewis Hamilton exceeded Michael Schumacher in the tablets by winning, in Portugal, his 92nd career victory, is one of them. Invited to pay tribute to his compatriot, the young Lando, then only one podium under his belt, had replied: "It really doesn't mean much to me. He's driving a car that he should win every race with. He only has to beat one or two drivers, that's all.", he had asserted. In the era of social networks, nothing is lost or forgotten, and X can prove to be as effective as the INA in unearthing certain archives that were thought to be buried. The people's court did not have to dig long to get its hands on this verbatim at a time when the Englishman, given the qualities of his car 2024, only two opponents to beat (Max Verstappen and his teammate Oscar piastri) to try to get the title. Even if the reality is certainly more nuanced, with Ferrari able to join the fight for victory with pleasing consistency.

If Lando Norris now has only a slim chance of winning the crown (he is 62 points behind with only 86 points left to distribute), it is largely due to the solidity of Max Verstappen, who has taken a giant step towards a fourth title.