Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

After a one-sided championship last year, the 2024 F1 season has heated up as Lando Norris and McLaren have started to hunt down Max Verstappen and Red Bull in both championships. However, Lewis Hamilton has predicted that Verstappen is more likely to emerge victorious and win his fourth consecutive championship.

The seven-time champion is not dismissive of McLaren’s incredible resurgence in the last year or so. However, he believes the Woking-based squad will need a lot of luck as well besides their performance to win the drivers’ championship.

Previously, Hamilton and Verstappen have shared an intense rivalry on track with their 2021 championship battle being the epitome of it. Even after 2021, the duo have taken jabs at each other whenever they clashed on track. However, in the 2024 title battle, the Briton is realistically backing his arch-rival to extend his championship streak.

According to Hamilton, even if Verstappen doesn’t have the outright fastest car on the grid anymore, all he needs to do is finish second behind Norris whenever he wins and as long as he can do that he will be able to retain the championship.

“There are a lot of points on the table so it is not impossible, but realistically Max only needs to finish second… So there needs to be some good fortune involved. But it’s really exciting that McLaren could win the constructors’”, Hamilton said during the Thursday press conference in Monza.

While Norris’ chances are slim with a 70-point deficit to Verstappen, McLaren seems set to win the constructors’ championship comfortably. After the Dutch GP, McLaren is only 30 points behind Red Bull, and with Sergio Perez not able to contribute much to the Austrian team’s points tally, the Woking team could overtake their rivals sooner rather than later.

Norris admits to being nervous despite being in his sixth season

This is Norris’ first experience of being in a title hunt, so it’s natural for him to feel the pressure on him. His plan to deal with it is to take one race at a time and not think too much about what will happen at the end of the season.

“Externally there is more pressure on me, but it’s up to me to deal with it how I know best. I just need to go out and drive, and that’s it really. Fighting for wins, fighting for the championship – honestly, I just feel like it’s another race weekend”, said Norris.

But outside pressure is not the only thing he’s dealing with at the moment. The Briton mentioned that he is also struggling with nerves before heading into the competitive sessions of the weekend. “I struggle to eat on Sundays, I’m so nervous. When you get to Q3 and you have to go out and deliver, it gives you butterflies every time,” Norris added.

The #4 driver has had his ups and downs this season with not winning several races since his maiden win in Miami. He has been driving arguably the fastest car since then and hasn’t maximized its potential. However, the Dutch GP triumph should galvanize Norris as a championship challenger.