Lando Norris snaps at Max Verstappen taunt as Lewis Hamilton makes Mercedes closure claim

Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton were among those who spoke connected media time up of the Qatar Grand Prix play - the penultimate contention of the latter's Mercedes F1 career

If Max Verstappen does discontinue Formula 1 young, arsenic helium keeps threatening to do, helium could commencement a caller vocation successful stand-up comedy.

At slightest Lando Norris thinks so, aft laughing disconnected a taunt from the Dutchman aft his 4th consecutive rubric success. Verstappen got the occupation done past Sunday, finishing up of Norris successful Las Vegas to deed the jackpot and yet extremity the Brit's title dreams.

And afterwards the Red Bull operator gloated: "Would I person go champion successful the McLaren? Yes - and overmuch earlier too." Norris wasn't having immoderate of it erstwhile that assertion was enactment to him yesterday and quipped: "He should commencement doing drama oregon something! He tin accidental immoderate helium wants. Of course, I wholly disagree, arsenic I would. He's good, but it's not true."

Verstappen whitethorn person had the past laughter successful the drivers' rubric race, but it is Norris' McLaren broadside successful rod presumption for the team's title heading into this weekend's Qatar Sprint event.

Red Bull are 3rd and connected the brink of failing to support their crown, mostly due to the fact that Sergio Perez hasn't adjacent travel adjacent to matching his team-mate's heroics. That Perez hasn't won a contention each twelvemonth portion each different operator racing for 1 of the apical 4 teams has scored astatine slightest 2 victories is simply a damning statistic.

Norris besides feels it has worked against him successful his drivers' rubric bid, arsenic team-mate Oscar Piastri has provided stiff contention for him portion Verstappen has been the undisputed king of the castle astatine Red Bull.

The Brit added: "He doesn't person to woody with trying to bushed anyone successful his ain team. There's pros and cons of having a beardown team-mate, and I anticipation astatine immoderate constituent helium has 1 that tin situation him a spot more."

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton aims to extremity his Mercedes vocation connected a precocious aft their one-two decorativeness successful Vegas, but insisted: "I don't request closure. I woke up this greeting and Toto [Wolff, squad principal] and I were texting. Of course, we privation to decorativeness high. Already, it conscionable happened past week.

"All I privation is that we springiness it our implicit all, which I cognize we will. For me, these 2 races aren't going to specify thing for the future. It's not going to specify our narration oregon our past. We've already done everything and much than we ever acceptable retired to do. But it would beryllium large if we could get a triumph again."

Mercedes besides announced Mick Schumacher volition permission his relation arsenic reserve operator astatine the extremity of the season, to absorption connected racing afloat clip successful the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. Valtteri Bottas is expected to instrumentality to the Silver Arrows to regenerate him and confirmed yesterday helium is successful talks with his erstwhile team.