Jenson Button believes that Lando Norris can catch and overhaul Max Verstappen and win the 2024 F1 World Championship.
Last spring, the Red Bull driver was tipped to dominate proceedings once again after claiming five wins in the first seven rounds of the campaign.
But growing momentum from McLaren coupled with development setbacks at Red Bull saw the Woking-based outfit put four victories and numerous podiums on the board over the summer and overtake its rival in the Constructors’ standings.
As for Norris, the Briton’s maiden win in Miami in May marked the start of a consistent haul of big points not only for his team but also for himself, with teammate Oscar Piastri adding to McLaren’s impressive tally.
Ahead of this weekend’s US Grand Prix, with six rounds to go, Norris still trails Verstappen by 53 points in the Drivers’ Championship.
Button expressed confidence in Norris’ ability to continue closing the gap and even surpass Verstappen, noting a few cracks in the three-time world champions armour.
“Yeah, I think he [Norris] can [win the title],” the Briton said, speaking on the latest Sky Sports F1 podcast.
“I’ve been on the Max side of it where the car isn’t performing as it was earlier in the season and you’re having someone chase you down. It’s tough.
“Max is a tough cookie. I don’t think the pressure gets to him like most drivers but this is a tricky situation. He’s already got it into his head that he’s not going to win another race this year.
“He’s in a position where he’s just got to come home, bring points. But sometimes when you’ve put that pressure on yourself, it’s even harder to get a podium.”
But the fight isn’t just between Verstappen and Norris. Button noted that Mercedes and Ferrari are now strong contenders for race wins, which could further complicate Verstappen’s bid for the title.
©McLaren
"It’s not just McLaren are faster with Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri has had some great results… Mercedes and Ferrari are all there," Button added.
“If they all get a weekend together and the Red Bull isn’t singing as it was earlier in the year, that’s a lot of points lost in one race. It’s still up in the air. Max is in a good position but it’s a high-pressure position it’s in and I think that’s exciting.
“F1 as a whole is in such a good place right now, we have so many teams fighting for victories. I didn’t expect it this year, I really didn’t, but I’m pleased, it’s great to see four teams fighting for wins.”
Queried on McLaren belated decision to enforce team orders to help Norris’ efforts, Button admitted that they are a necessary evil in a team’s championship quest.
“I love that there's no team orders because as a racing driver you hate them. But at some point, if you want to win a world championship, you need to favour one driver,” said the fifteen-time Grand Prix winner.
“Especially at this point in the championship where every single point counts right now. For Lando, if he has any opportunity of becoming a world champion in 2024, he needs every single point. And, you know, that's even using Oscar to grab the fastest lap if Max has got it in a race.
“So it's a really tricky situation for a driver, for drivers in a team and for a team. But it's got to happen.
“You know, that's the reason why Ferrari won so many world championships with Michael Schumacher, and in a way, why Vettel was able to win so many world championships.
“I think that sometimes you've got to bite the bullet and you need to favour one driver, especially at this point of the season. Oscar's done an amazing job this year, but Lando has more points and a good amount more points.
“If the team want to win, not just the constructors' but the drivers' as well this year, that's what's going to have to happen.”
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