F1
Lando Norris, the only driver on the grid to outperform Max Verstappen in qualifying
© Eric Alonso / DPPI
When the final tally is done, the score may show 8 to 7 in favor of Max Verstappen In terms of the number of victories, it was the Briton who ultimately won the race. After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the score was 423 to 421, enough to secure his first world championship title. McLaren.
While the impression left would legitimately tend to place Max Verstappen on a pedestal this year, despite losing the world championship title after four years of dominance, the Dutchman ultimately did not dominate in every area. Between the two leaders, the situation remains close, Lando Norris remains the only one of the 19 other drivers on the grid to have beaten the driver Red Bull in qualifying.
Norris, within two units
The number two will undoubtedly be a significant one for Lando Norris this year. Beyond the points gap separating the two drivers after the 24 Grands Prix of the season, it also represents the number of times the Briton qualified ahead of the Dutchman before the races. Specifically, Lando Norris qualified ahead of Max Verstappen 13 times on Saturdays, compared to 11 times for the Dutchman.
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Here again, due to statistical chance, Max Verstappen nevertheless leads the way when it comes to pole positions. With 8 poles compared to 7 for the reigning champion, the driver who was unbeaten since 2021 has emerged at the most crucial moments of the season. First and foremost, one cannot help but recall his surprise pole position at Suzuka at the start of the season, or the one he secured at Silverstone, where everything seemed wide open between Red Bull, McLaren, and Classic Ferrari for sale including.
Although he didn't dominate the season, Lando Norris certainly finished it having surpassed a Max Verstappen at the peak of his powers in several areas. Admittedly, this was accompanied by a car Fast, the Briton managed to tame a machine that didn't suit him at the start of the season to become the benchmark for this year 2025.
Mathieu Chambenoit
Responsible for the single-seater categories (F2, F3, FRECA, Eurocup-3, F4...), I enjoy discussing F1, Endurance, or MotoGP.
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vincent moyet
16/12/2025 at 11:00 a.m.
Let's not forget that the McLaren drivers were competing against each other. If one of them had been designated as the team's number one driver, he would have accumulated all 14 of the team's victories, the title would have been decided by the summer, and that's the kind of preferential treatment Verstappen receives at Red Bull. Furthermore, Piastri had a 30-point lead over Norris after Zandvoort; I don't see what McLaren's motivation would be to slow him down so that Norris could overtake him in the standings, the risk being that Verstappen would then enter the title fight.
Mueller Max
16/12/2025 at 05:34 a.m.
He would never have succeeded on his own; he relied on the incompetent help of the race stewards, Don Johnny Herbert and Martine Brandel, and on his friendship with Zac Brown, who simply and purely eliminated Piastri from the title race. He can thank them both.
Carrera46
15/12/2025 at 10:50 a.m.
In a comparable car, I highly doubt he would have outclassed it! And besides, he would have finished the championship a while ago. A bit of a soft touch, that lad. Thanks to his team for the "help" at Piastri's expense, and to Max for struggling for a while with his Red Bull! We'll see what he can do in 2026.
Patrick33
15/12/2025 at 07:39 a.m.
Norris was the only one to outperform Verstappen in qualifying 😁. With a McLaren in his hands, Max would have been at least 30 points ahead of poor Norris in the championship. Besides, poor Norris has no charisma. He had the best car on the grid, was helped by his team at Piastri's expense, and in short, with that car, he only won the championship by two points. Not very glorious. The only top driver in F1 is Max, period.