F1 legends say Norris really can win 2024 title

There is a very real risk that Max Verstappen will not cling onto his points lead all the way to the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

That’s the view of two former grand prix drivers and Formula 1 legends, Rene Arnoux and Gerhard Berger.

Arnoux, the 76-year-old ex-Ferrari driver, links Red Bull’s performance decline directly with the internal team turmoil and Christian Horner scandal.

“I’ve been saying it ever since what I always called the ’sex and money’ affair began,” the Frenchman told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I said it would destabilise everyone and have repercussions on the team’s performance. And that’s exactly what we’ve seen.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris is now closing the points gap at just about every race weekend, although consecutive three-time world champion Verstappen still has a 52-point lead with six races to go.

“The others have moved on, found new solutions, but Red Bull did not. It’s true that in the last race before the break Verstappen made some progress, perhaps. For that reason I’m very curious to see what will happen in Austin.”

Indeed, Red Bull has used the rare three-weekend break between Singapore and the US GP this weekend to prepare a car upgrade, including a new floor.

But Arnoux says it’s possible the improvement won’t be enough.

“In theory, I think Norris can do it, although let’s be clear – 52 points is a lot. But he (Norris) needs to learn how to start races. It’s no use getting pole if you then start so badly,” he said.

“Then we’ll have to see if (Oscar) Piastri keeps racing for himself, which will make things much harder for Lando. But if Oscar gets in the way…” Arnoux added.

As for Berger, who is historically very close to the Red Bull family, he also thinks a head-to-head between Norris and Verstappen in Abu Dhabi in December is possible.

“Max has great potential and a lot of experience, plus Red Bull is focused only on him, so I have the feeling that in the end he can save this world championship,” said the Austrian.

“But Norris has proven to be an excellent driver, even if he sometimes seems a bit fragile under pressure. But the McLaren is the fastest car on the grid now.”

Like Arnoux, 65-year-old Berger also thinks McLaren’s team orders strategy will also be crucial.

“It’s time for the team to make a choice and support Lando as much as possible,” he said. “So far they have focused on both drivers, who still have a mathematical chance of winning the title, but in doing so Piastri ended up taking points from his teammate.

“If the drivers’ championship is decided by a few points, McLaren will regret decisions like the one in Hungary,” Berger added.

As for Red Bull’s mid-season performance slump, Berger admitted that when the season began, he predicted it would be a “boring” one-driver championship dominated by Verstappen.

“Instead, the opposite is happening,” he said. “The reason is that the team has entered a negative spiral and lost its serenity. And finding that harmony again will not be easy.

“For years, they were accustomed to counting on Adrian Newey as the technical reference, but now they have new leaders who are yet to prove they deserve to succeed him,” said Berger.

“In recent months, many engineers have left the team and this is also a reason for the weakening. But if, despite everything, Max manages to win the world championship, I believe Red Bull will have enough time to reorganise.”