16/10/2024
NEWS STORY
Helmut Marko cites McLaren driver's admission of pre-event nerves as he predicts Max Verstappen will claim fourth title.
With six races - and three Sprints - the 2024 season title fight has a long way to go. and a couple of tough weekends, as witnessed in Italy and Azerbaijan, could see Norris take a huge chunk out of Verstappen's 52 point lead.
Whether the Dutchman's performance in Singapore - a circuit where Red Bull has traditionally struggled - was a sign that the Austrian team has finally turned things around remains to be seen, while McLaren goes from strength to strength.
Asked on Motorsport Magazin's YouTube channel who he thought would come out on top come Abu Dhabi, Helmut Marko was in no doubt.
"Verstappen!" he replied.
Asked how he can be so convinced, when since the summer break Norris has scored 80 points (and two wins), to the Dutchman's 54 and no wins, the Austrian replied: "He's the best, he's the fastest and, above all, he has the mental strength to theoretically fight for the world championship more than Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.
"We know Norris has some mental weaknesses," he added. "I've read about some of the rituals he needs to do to perform well on race day."
Indeed, Norris has admitted to nerves and in August, while insisting that the pressure of winning doesn't get to him, he still feels anxious before races.
"I don't think of it at all," he said, when asked if there is an increased pressure now that he's fighting for wins. "I think there's always pressure, which is the main thing.
"I still get so nervous for qualifying," he admitted. "For the races, I still get just as excited and just as nervous.
"I don't eat anything on Sundays," he revealed. "I struggle to drink on Sundays, just because I'm nervous, just because of the pressure.
"I think it's just how you turn it into a positive thing, how do you not let it affect you in a bad way," he continued. "How can you actually use it in a good way to help you focus on the correct things and so on? I'm sure I do now. Probably will forever.
"You know, going into Q3, or qualifying when you have to go out and deliver. There's so much nerves and there's pressure. If you do one thing, you're going to break centimetres, or a minute too late, or you turn in at the wrong timing, or whatever it is, you're finished immediately.
"The knowledge of that just puts you under very intense feeling.
"But also, it's an amazing feeling at the same time that I don't feel like maybe you can replicate it, in any of the sports, in any of the things."
On the other hand, Oscar Piastri comes across as someone who is able to eat and drink right up to the moment the lights go out.