The rain falls, the ghost awakens: Verstappen is Norris' biggest nightmare

Lando Norris has a prime opportunity this weekend in Brazil to prove he deserves to lead the Formula 1 World Championship.

Exactly one year ago at Interlagos, his title hopes slipped away following what many consider Max Verstappen’s finest race – though Norris admitted at the time it was 'more luck than skill'.

For those who need a reminder, the Brazilian Grand Prix turned out to be a pivotal weekend in the 2024 title battle. Saturday saw a massive storm batter the circuit, forcing the FIA to reschedule qualifying to Sunday, less than five hours before the race.

Despite the relentless downpour, officials decided to go ahead. The session quickly descended into chaos with five crashes, five red flags, and a total duration of one hour and 45 minutes.

Verstappen furious after Brazilian GP qualifying

The starting grid was far from the norm this season. A collision involving Lance Stroll left Max Verstappen unable to improve his time in Q2, relegating him to 12th place. A subsequent five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change ultimately forced the reigning champion to start 17th.

After the session, the Dutch driver was visibly upset—primarily at the the stewards. “When a car crashes into the wall, it should be red-flagged immediately. This is just too stupid to even debate. It’s bulls***!” he exclaimed.

Turnaround in the championship battle?

Norris managed to avoid the chaos and claimed pole position, setting up the perfect scenario for the McLaren driver. At that point in the season, McLaren’s car was clearly outperforming the Red Bull.

Pressure was mounting on Verstappen, especially after losing considerable points to Norris in Mexico just a week earlier. Verstappen’s attempts to keep Norris close—forcing him off track on two separate occasions—cost him an extra 20 seconds. Heading into the Brazilian GP, Verstappen’s lead was a slim 44 points, meaning Norris had a huge opportunity to close the gap.

With the evident performance gap between the two teams and Norris steadily erasing his deficit, many believed he had a genuine shot at the title. The Brazilian GP was expected to be the final blow for Verstappen.

Starting from 17th, Verstappen would struggle to collect points, while Norris, beginning from pole, seemed destined for victory. The British media were already heralding Norris as the next world champion.

Verstappen makes history with one of his best races ever

But events took an unexpected turn. In the downpour, Norris lost the lead at the start to George Russell, and within four laps, Verstappen had clawed back eight positions. Over the team radio, Norris was heard exclaiming, “Are you f***ing kidding me, right?!”

As one driver after another lost control on the slick track, Verstappen pushed ahead relentlessly. Norris, meanwhile, repeatedly made mistakes and went off course. On the radio, he kept asking, “Where is Max?” and “Where is he now?” When the chequered flag dropped, Verstappen won by nearly 20 seconds, while Norris could only muster a sixth-place finish.

Norris crumbles under the pressure

While Verstappen’s championship hopes now seemed to revive—leaving Brazil with a reduced, yet improved, 62-point lead instead of 44—the race proved to be a turning point.

For Norris, the aftermath was severe: he fell ill for weeks and soon faced harsh criticism from fans and the media for claiming that Verstappen had “just gotten lucky” with his victory. This remark came despite the widespread acclaim for the Dutchman’s heroic performance, which still ranks as the third best in Formula 1’s “25 Greatest Races Ever.”

Norris struggled under the mounting pressure for the remainder of the season, seemingly a shadow of his true self. However, this weekend offers him a chance to reclaim his position at the top of the championship standings. The race in Sao Paulo will be re-run on Sunday, November 9, and the forecast promises another deluge. Can the McLaren driver keep his composure, or will he crumble once again under the weight of his championship ambitions?

This time around, Norris holds a 36-point lead over Verstappen. Mathematically, his teammate Oscar Piastri is the biggest threat, trailing by only one point. Still, history shows that Verstappen tends to haunt the young Brit’s mind, having cost him crucial results in the past with avoidable mistakes.

Will Brazil once again prove decisive in the championship battle—and in whose favour? Red Bull boss Helmut Marko is banking on a miracle from Verstappen, while Norris is expected to wake up in a cold sweat after nightmare visions of a drenched Red Bull car with the No 1 dominating his rearview mirror.

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