Joe
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed his hopes that the 2024 title battle will “go down to the wire”.
However, he acknowledged that Lando Norris will need “some fortune” to catch up with current leader Max Verstappen.
McLaren’s Norris secured victory at the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend, trimming Verstappen’s lead at the top of the standings to 70 points. Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, has now gone five races without a win, allowing Norris to close the gap slightly.
Norris’s commanding performance in Zandvoort, aided by his upgraded MCL38, has positioned McLaren as the team to beat in the final nine races of the season. The battle continues this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
Speaking ahead of the race, Hamilton noted the difficulty Norris faces in overtaking Verstappen’s lead. “There’s a lot of points on the table, so I think it’s definitely not impossible,” Hamilton said.
“But Max probably only needs to finish second in every race to win at this point. Norris would have to win every single race, and even then, it might not be enough. There’ll need to be some fortune in it.”
Hamilton added that a close title fight would be exciting for fans, saying, “I hope it goes down to the wire because that will be great for the fans.”
While there is uncertainty over how much pressure Norris can apply to Verstappen, McLaren is already within striking distance of Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship. The reigning champions’ lead has shrunk to just 30 points, with the consistent performances of Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri capitalizing on the struggles of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
McLaren, who haven’t won a constructors’ title since 1998, finished at the top of the standings in 2007 before being disqualified due to the ‘spygate’ scandal. Hamilton, who has secured two victories this season for Mercedes, believes McLaren has a real chance of clinching the constructors’ title this year.
“I think there’s a real chance that McLaren could win the constructors’ title,” Hamilton said. “That’s really exciting because, obviously, we won it in terms of performance in 2007, even though it was taken away from us. They haven’t won since, so it would be really exciting not only for them but also for the sport.”
