Formula 1 in Austin: What matters in the World Cup duel between Verstappen and Norris

Sometimes Lando Norris forgets to eat properly on a Grand Prix weekend – or to drink enough during the race. The fact that the Brit is nervous, even though he recently drove the Formula 1 car that is superior to all of them, probably has nothing to do with the heated fight for the world title. According to his team boss Andrea Stella, the McLaren driver is someone “who always sees the glass half empty”. Before the four-week break that has now ended, he almost threw away a half-minute lead three times on the streets of Singapore. Not to mention the many pole positions lost on the track throughout the season.

The 24-year-old is a source of trouble in his own right, and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. After all, he has won two more Grand Prix since his very first victory in Miami. And six stops before the end of the season he is still 52 points behind defending champion Max Verstappen, almost as many as back in May. The only difference is that the Red Bull racing car has stumbled a lot since then, McLaren has the momentum and Stella is telling his number one’s conscience like a prayer wheel: “The opportunity is there.” But Norris weakens it again: “Even without winning the title This season was a success for me, after all I’m fighting against the best of the best.”

Austin is a preliminary decision, a yardstick. On the one hand, what the technical upgrades are, but more importantly, which of the two is the better poker player. In the media round before the US Grand Prix this Sunday, the Brit appears desperately relaxed. His posture and facial expressions on the sofa signal that he would prefer to be left alone. With a maximum of 180 points still to be scored, the constitution of the car, but even more so the concentration and condition of the driver, must be impeccable.

One mistake and everything could be fine. Even the harmless request as to whether he still feels the same confidence after the short break in the calendar as he did during the triumph in Singapore is answered with a long-drawn out “Aaaaaah,” followed by a hesitant “Yes.” Norris answers the question about his big rival, who, unfortunately, is also his best friend, in such a distanced way that a different truth can be felt behind it: “I look at all the drivers, but what Max does has nothing to do with me. “Don’t let anyone get close to you, just act as if the hustle and bustle doesn’t bother you.

Last year in Austin, Max Verstappen was already confirmed as champion – now he still has to fight

What does Norris think when he observes the mind games that Red Bull has been practicing for years? When Helmut Marko, as the opponent’s advisor, speaks in barely veiled terms about the supposed mental weaknesses of the World Cup runner-up, when Verstappen says about the stable management to the detriment of the second McLaren driver Oscar Piastri that the Australian is far too good for such games and he himself never does anything like that would accept. There are clear signs that the World Mental Championship is in full swing.

At the end of his unproductive small talk Circuit of the Americas Norris then says in a brave aside: “This could actually be our year.” Like everyone else, he had to walk into the paddock under a banner emblazoned with a quote from John Lennon: “In the end everything will be okay. And if it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.”

The motto describes well what Norris is radiating at the moment, even if he can display a completely different personality on the slopes. Verstappen probably acknowledged the saying with a tired grin. The Dutchman has gone against the grain so much on and off the track this season that his still clear lead at this point in the racing year seems like a miracle – and is primarily due to his above-average performance. Last year in Austin, the 27-year-old was already confirmed as champion, he secured the title in Qatar in 2023 and easily won the final six races.

If he is now desperate, he won’t show it. It’s peak season for poker players right now. He dismisses the fact that the World Automobile Association FIA has banned height adjustment on the underbody of the RB 20 as hardly a crucial detail; McLaren has also been banned from having the rear wing that is too flexible. A lot now depends on who can get more out of the technical upgrades.

With the greatest possible composure, the seven-time season winner leaves the designated gate for his media round and thus the jurisdiction of the world association, which had punished him in Singapore for a swear word. Ten years after his Formula 1 debut, Verstappen appears confident in a provocative way. Maybe also because he feels that defending his title with the worse car would be the greatest possible masterpiece. His facial features have become more striking over this difficult season, and his demeanor also reflects this. After three overall World Cup victories, he is faced with an enormous challenge, which he is meeting with pragmatism.

Having not won since June and not having finished ahead of his opponent Norris in the four previous races, Verstappen is trying to think small of that, following the motto: Don’t burden yourself with too many thoughts when it comes to successfully defending your title. “If the improvements to our car are effective, I will be in good spirits. If they don’t bring as much as we hoped, it will be quite difficult for us,” he says. The Dutchman estimates his chances of winning his fourth title at 50:50 and states laconically: “There is no guarantee one way or the other, I either make it or I don’t. If it doesn’t work out, my life won’t change. Because it doesn’t always just consist of victories and world championship titles.” That sounds more like a glass half full.