Lando Norris has dismissed Max Verstappen’s claim that he would be dominant in a McLaren, citing he would be “disappointed” if he tested the team’s Formula 1 car.
Verstappen thwarted McLaren’s attempts to begin the 2025 campaign with three consecutive victories as he produced an all-time great weekend to prevail at Suzuka.
The Dutchman turned in a sensational lap to edge Norris to pole position and then utilised track position to repel race-long pressure from the Briton and Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen pipping the more-fancied McLaren duo in Red Bull’s capricious RB21 caused him to declare that he would have disappeared down the road in the MCL39.
However, Norris has disagreed with his rival’s comment as he insisted that Verstappen’s expectations would not be met should he ever pilot McLaren’s 2025 machine.
“I don’t mind, he can say what he wants,” Norris said. “I don’t care, honestly. Everyone can say what they want and believe what they want.
“I believe both Oscar and myself are good drivers. He is maybe better at some things, but he is not better in every area.
“I have a lot of respect for Max, but I also know some things are not true.
“He can come and test our car any day that he wants and I’ll be excited to see the disappointment on his face after he gets out.”
Verstappen insists McLaren claim was serious
Meanwhile, McLaren team-mate Piastri suggested Verstappen’s assertion was a “light-hearted” reaction to having won in a Red Bull car that has a pace disadvantage.
“Yes, but I think if Max had qualified third and we were first and second, it probably would have looked quite different as well. So I think it was light-hearted.”
Verstappen, though, doubled down on his previous statement as he reasoned that he would have a much easier time in a McLaren car with a broader operating range.
“I was not joking,” the reigning F1 champion clarified in Bahrain. “You thought it was a joke? No, it’s not a joke.
“We know how hard and how narrow our window is with the car. Then you get that question, what would you do in another car? Well, I give you an honest answer.
“But I also said in that same interview that that is not going to happen anyway, so there is no need to speculate about it.”
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