Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris: How 2024 F1 world title battle has developed right into a thriller forward of ultimate races

With 5 rounds of Method 1’s thrilling 2024 season remaining, look again at a race-by-race recap of Max Verstappen’s battle with Lando Norris for the drivers’ title.

The season continues with the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix this weekend, stay on Sky Sports activities F1 – with every little thing nonetheless to play for – however Norris’ probabilities have develop into tougher after he completed behind Verstappen final day trip in Austin.

Verstappen is bidding for a fourth consecutive F1 title, whereas Norris is trying to develop into world champion for the primary time.

Following Austin is the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix (October 25-27) and Sao Paulo Grand Prix (November 1-3).

After a three-week break, the Las Vegas Grand Prix (November 22-24), Qatar Grand Prix (November 29-December 1) and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (December 6-8) will carry the season to a detailed, with each session from every race stay on Sky Sports activities F1.

Bahrain GP: Verstappen makes good begin

Verstappen picked up the place he left off in 2023 with a lights-to-flag victory from pole place, plus the quickest lap of the race as he led team-mate Sergio Perez in a Purple Bull one-two.

Norris began seventh and completed in sixth – 48.4 seconds behind Verstappen, an enormous efficiency margin that no person thought can be overhauled this yr…

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 26-8 NORRIS

Saudi Arabian GP: Verstappen dominates once more

Every week later, Verstappen claimed one other dominant victory throughout which the result by no means seemed to be doubtful.

The Dutchman ignored off-track noise created by a public feud between his father Jos Verstappen and Purple Bull group principal Christian Horner to guide house one other one-two from Perez.

Norris, who initially appeared to have jumped the beginning however was not penalised, really led his first laps of the season after not pitting below an early Security Automobile however would solely end eighth because the technique gamble did not repay.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 51-12 NORRIS

Australian GP: Norris on podium as Verstappen retires

Verstappen was making an attempt to equal his personal report 10-race successful streak as he began from pole place in Melbourne, however accomplished solely three laps earlier than the brakes on his Purple Bull caught fireplace and compelled him to retire.

Norris took his first podium of the season in third behind the Ferrari one-two led by Carlos Sainz.

Charles Leclerc undercut Norris in the course of the first spherical of pit stops and the McLaren driver could not battle again to second place.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 51-27 NORRIS

Japanese GP: Verstappen again on prime

Verstappen returned to successful methods to move a powerful Purple Bull one-two at Suzuka, expertly managing two launches off the road as a restart was wanted following a pink flag on the primary lap for a crash between Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo.

Norris began third however was leapfrogged by each Ferraris in the course of the race and completed fifth, with the MCL38 at this level nonetheless missing the uncooked tempo to carry off the pink vehicles.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 77-37 NORRIS

Chinese language GP: Norris rues Dash as Verstappen wins Grand Prix

Norris began on Dash pole in Shanghai however, in what can be the beginning of an undesirable streak, did not retain the lead on the first nook as Lewis Hamilton pounced to run him off the highway and down the sector.

Norris completed sixth, whereas Verstappen overtook Alonso and Hamilton to win the Dash.

In the primary occasion, Verstappen cruised to a fourth win of 2024, however there was encouragement for McLaren as Norris took second, and managed to complete 13.7 seconds behind the Purple Bull.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 110-58 NORRIS

Miami GP: Norris’ maiden win

It was in Florida the place the course of the 2024 Method 1 season actually began to vary, as McLaren launched a serious set of upgrades to the MCL38.

Whereas the automotive was improved, a well timed Security Automobile was wanted to vault Norris into the lead earlier than he held off Verstappen in a tense restart, after which eased away to assert a primary F1 win in his one hundred and tenth race begin.

The consequence sparked fantastic scenes of celebration, however few thought they had been witnessing the beginning of a title battle.

Verstappen nonetheless really scored extra factors throughout the weekend, having gained Saturday’s Dash from pole as Norris retired after a first-lap collision with Fernando Alonso.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 136-83 NORRIS

Emilia Romagna GP: Verstappen fends off Norris

Verstappen pipped the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Norris to pole by lower than a tenth of a second in Imola, after being crucially aided by a slipstream from Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg in Q3.

The Dutchman seemed to be cruising to victory after opening a lead of seven.5 seconds to Norris with 20 laps to go, however out of the blue the McLaren started quickly closing in.

Each drivers pushed extremely onerous however Verstappen held on to win by lower than a second, with there being little doubt that Norris would have solely wanted a lap or two extra to overtake his rival.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 161-101 NORRIS

Monaco GP: Norris positive factors floor

The restricted overtaking alternatives at F1’s most well-known circuit imply that qualifying is king in Monaco. Due to this fact, each Norris and Verstappen’s possibilities of victories seemed to be all however over once they certified fourth and sixth respectively.

It was Norris who had extra cause to be disenchanted as his team-mate Oscar Piastri took second in each qualifying, suggesting he had did not maximise the McLaren’s efficiency. Verstappen, however, had a automotive that merely could not address the bumpy kerbs of the road circuit.

Following an enormous first-lap crash that enabled an early change of tyres, there was little motion within the race as the highest 10 completed the place they’d began, permitting Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to lastly win his house race.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 169-113 NORRIS

Canadian GP: Verstappen wins amid moist climate chaos

Verstappen gained a chaotic and gripping Canadian Grand Prix to depart Norris reflecting on what may need been after a race of excessive drama amid on-off rain in Montreal.

Norris twice led the race – the primary time after overtaking each Verstappen and the Mercedes of George Russell – however needed to accept second after shedding out below a Security Automobile interruption, which some felt McLaren may have dealt with higher.

A vital error adopted after that as Norris sought to reclaim his benefit, with Verstappen in the end holding on to win by nearly 4 seconds.

Norris and Russell each felt as if they’d let victory slip away, with Verstappen’s calm and expertise in the end proving the distinction.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 194-131 NORRIS

Spanish GP: Norris squanders pole benefit

A second race in succession that Verstappen gained regardless of not having the quickest automotive, a lot to the rising frustration of Norris.

The McLaren driver’s annoyance this time was heightened by the truth that whereas he had achieved pole place for simply the second time in F1 – and the primary time in three years – his hard-won qualifying benefit lasted only a matter of yards as he was overtaken initially by not solely Verstappen however George Russell too, the Mercedes driver brilliantly sweeping previous the front-row starters earlier than the primary nook.

And whereas Verstappen handed Russell to take the lead for himself by lap three, Norris remained bottled up behind the Mercedes for all the primary stint. McLaren opted to run longer on both facet of Norris’ two pit stops in an effort to come again at Verstappen on the finish of the race and, whereas the technique noticed the Briton present sturdy tempo and reclaim second, he in the end ran out of laps to really problem for the win and took the chequered flag two seconds behind his Purple Bull rival. Verstappen’s title lead was now out to 69 factors.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 219-150 NORRIS

Austrian GP: The inevitable first collision?

Sunday June 30, the Purple Bull Ring, Lap 63, Flip Three. The second the long-time good pals came upon that it would not all the time be really easy to maintain issues cordial when combating collectively on the entrance of the F1 grid.

What had appeared set to be a convincing Verstappen win was turned on its head by an uncharacteristically sluggish Purple Bull pit cease which put Norris on the world champion’s tail for the race’s closing stint. Having already gone wheel-to-wheel on a number of events, with every driver complaining in regards to the different’s techniques, the pair made pricey contact with eight laps to go and each vehicles sustained injury that might finish their respective victory hopes.

With a gleeful Russell selecting up the items to finish Mercedes’ 19-month victory drought, the injury to Norris’ automotive proved to be race-ending, though Verstappen was capable of rejoin after repairs within the pits and took fifth place regardless of stewards handing him a 10s penalty for being at fault for the collision.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 237-156 NORRIS

British GP: Hamilton’s day, however McLaren nonetheless let in Verstappen

One other important signal that after two years of near-total domination, Purple Bull had been not clearly favourites to win on any given weekend. That Verstappen even completed second at a rain-hit Silverstone between Hamilton – who claimed an emotional first win in 57 races – and third-placed Norris was once more extra a testomony to his personal driving and sharp group technique fairly than being about any tempo benefit his RB20 now possessed.

Against this, Norris and McLaren had been left with extra regrets round technique and decision-making. This time after they had been undercut by Hamilton for the race lead within the swap to slicks in a pricey pit cease that additionally noticed them match the gentle, fairly than the medium, compound tyre for the drying closing laps.

Verstappen, operating the extra sturdy onerous tyre, caught the McLaren quickly and took second away from Norris with 4 laps to go, a consequence which meant the Dutchman left the weekend with a season-high championship lead of 84 factors.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 255-171 NORRIS

Hungarian GP: Norris misses out on win after group orders saga

This was the weekend at which McLaren lastly put all of it collectively to dominate, however their excellent tempo was overshadowed by a weird group orders saga, which Norris got here out on the unsuitable facet of.

Norris took pole in a McLaren front-low lockout however was overtaken off the road by team-mate Piastri. The Australian seemed to be heading for his maiden grand prix victory till Norris retook the lead because of McLaren pitting the Brit first on the ultimate spherical of stops to guard him from an undercut from Hamilton.

Norris led on the ultimate stint and with Piastri powerless to go him, initially ignored orders to provide the lead again to his team-mate. Amid a barrage of guilt-tripping messages over group radio, Norris lastly relinquished the lead with three laps to go.

Verstappen began third and would solely end fifth after a late collision with Hamilton, however would in the end be relieved that McLaren selected to cease Norris from taking the win.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 265-189 NORRIS

Belgian GP: Norris fails to make the most of Verstappen penalty

Verstappen was placed on the again foot in Spa by his want for a brand new energy unit, which might lead to him ranging from eleventh on the grid regardless of topping qualifying.

A lot of the pre-race focus was on whether or not he would have sufficient tempo to return by means of the sector, with many seeing Norris – ranging from fourth – because the favorite for victory. It turned out neither had the tempo to win, with Norris’ hopes dashed by one other poor begin that noticed him pressured onto the gravel and all the way down to seventh.

It was Mercedes who took the chequered flag in a shock one-two, earlier than Russell’s disqualification noticed Hamilton inherit victory.

Verstappen would end fourth, a spot forward of Norris, and in the end emerge happy with having elevated his championship lead regardless of the grid penalty.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 277-199 NORRIS

Dutch GP: Norris delivers assertion win on Verstappen’s house turf

Following the game’s summer season break, a refreshed Norris made full use of McLaren’s newest improve bundle to ship a press release victory at Verstappen’s house race.

Norris beat his rival to pole by nearly half a second and went on to win the race by 22 seconds, silencing the Verstappen’s orange-clad supporters in Zandvoort.

The actual fact Verstappen that was capable of beat Leclerc and Piastri to second ensured Norris’ factors acquire did not fairly mirror his beautiful margin of victory.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 295-225 NORRIS

Italian GP: Norris vs Piastri II as McLaren miss 1-2 probability

With Purple Bull’s rising struggles laid naked amid a troublesome weekend round high-speed Monza, a virtuoso efficiency from Leclerc in entrance of a delighted Tifosi meant McLaren failed to totally capitalise on the championship leaders’ woes.

For the second time in 4 races Norris headed an all-McLaren entrance row in qualifying however, identical to on the earlier event in Hungary, the Briton was swiftly overtaken by team-mate Piastri initially – though this time the strong-armed nature of the Australian’s overtake on his title-chasing team-mate did increase eyebrows.

Norris misplaced momentum because of the sister McLaren’s transfer and was overtaken by Leclerc too in a gap sequence of corners that might show pricey. Ultimately, Leclerc obtained Piastri too courtesy of a brilliantly-executed one-stop technique as Ferrari’s pit wall outfoxed McLaren’s. With Verstappen solely ending sixth, Norris’ third place and quickest lap noticed him pull a helpful eight factors again on the Dutchman’s title lead – however it absolutely ought to have been extra.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 303-241 NORRIS

Azerbaijan GP: From catastrophe to please for Lando amid Max battle

It wasn’t a win, and it really wasn’t even a podium, however beating Verstappen to fourth place in Baku nonetheless felt like a standout consequence for Norris after a rollercoaster weekend that had briefly threatened to fully derail his title cost.

With Verstappen unusually off kind, regardless of Purple Bull’s automotive wanting able to difficult for the win this time within the arms of a belatedly on-form Perez, Norris’ huge probability of gaining extra important championship floor appeared gone when premature yellow flags noticed him drop out within the first stage of qualifying in a automotive able to the entrance row.

However beginning fifteenth, 9 locations behind Verstappen, Norris used that sturdy McLaren tempo to battle again by means of the sector in an impressively well-judged drive. He then caught and handed his rival with two laps to ultimately declare what would develop into fourth when Perez and Sainz collided on the ultimate lap.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 313-254 NORRIS

Singapore GP: Runaway Norris ratchets up the title chase

One other assertion win from Norris and McLaren, this time on a Singapore circuit the place the race is commonly determined by slim margins. However that definitely wasn’t the case this time. Though Verstappen was again on kind round Marina Bay after his off-colour Baku and re-emerged as Norris’ closest challenger, even the world champion had no reply to the McLaren’s beautiful tempo right here.

Norris took pole by two tenths of a second after which gained the race by a mammoth 21-second margin, having at occasions loved a lap-time benefit of 1s over Verstappen within the center section of the race.

Whereas the dominant Norris could have missed out on the weekend’s clear sweep and a helpful additional level when RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, operating final on the time in what turned out to be his ultimate GP for the group, controversially pitted within the closing phases to suit contemporary tyres and take the quickest lap away from the Briton, it was as in any other case as good and dominant a weekend as you could possibly get.

Verstappen’s once-mighty title lead was now all the way down to a less-comfortable 52 factors with six rounds – together with three Sprints – and 180 factors nonetheless to play for.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 331-279 NORRIS

United States GP: Norris controversially penalised after thrilling battle with Verstappen

Purple Bull appeared to again on kind as Verstappen gained america GP Dash, with Norris hanging onto third as he averted a final lap penalty for allegedly “driving erratically” when heading off Leclerc.

As Ferrari took a one-two in the primary race on the Sunday, Norris and Verstappen had an outstanding battle for the ultimate spot on the rostrum.

On brisker tyres, Norris set about chasing Verstappen within the ultimate a part of the race and the pair battled onerous within the ultimate 15 excursions of the Circuit of the Americas.

Verstappen defended very properly and did not enable Norris to get by simply. However, on lap 52, Norris attacked across the outdoors into Flip 12 and overtook Verstappen off the monitor, with each drivers outdoors of the white line on the exit.

Norris did not let Verstappen again by means of and was given a five-second time penalty for leaving the monitor and gaining a bonus, so dropped to fourth behind his rival as he solely completed 4.1 seconds in entrance of the Dutchman on the chequered flag.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 354-297 NORRIS

Remaining races stay on Sky Sports activities F1

• Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix – October 25-27

• Sao Paulo Grand Prix – November 1-3 (Dash)
• Las Vegas Grand Prix – November 22-24
• Qatar Grand Prix – November 29-December 1 (Dash)
• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – December 6-8

Method 1’s Americas triple header continues this weekend with the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, with each session stay on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime