After Max Verstappen dominated the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing 22 seconds ahead of Sergio Perez, many assumed Red Bull would continue their 2023 dominance through the 2024 season. However, the year took an unexpected turn, with McLaren emerging as the strongest team and Red Bull struggling to keep pace.

Verstappen began the season in commanding form, winning four of the first five races and building an 84-point lead by the British Grand Prix. But as Red Bull faced balance issues, McLaren and Lando Norris stepped up and closed the gap to 44 points after the sprint in Sao Paulo, but errors from McLaren and missed opportunities allowed Verstappen to win the race the following day, extending his lead once again. Later on, by the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen had secured the title with a 63-point margin.

Reflecting on the season, Verstappen claimed Red Bull’s RB20 wasn’t the fastest car for ‘70% of the season’ and suggested he could have won the championship even earlier with McLaren’s car.

Norris, however, disagreed with Verstappen’s view. He pointed out that the gap Verstappen built during Red Bull’s early-season dominance was never fully erased, even as McLaren became the stronger team later on.

“No, definitely not,” Norris, quoted by Motorsport Week, responded to a question about whether Verstappen would’ve been able to win the title in the MCL38.

“I mean, no one ever in the history of Formula 1 has come back from the size of deficit I had. No one. Ever.

“And there have been much bigger swings of performance of cars in the past than there has been now.

“The advantage they [Red Bull] had in the beginning of the season over everyone was way more than we’ve had.

“I think if it was any other driver, well not any other driver, but if it wasn’t Max and Red Bull, I think the chances would have been much higher.”