Lando Norris ‘CAN challenge me for the world title’, Max Verstappen claims… as the Red Bull star casts doubt on his own chances in Monaco this weekend

Max Verstappen believes Lando Norris can challenge him for the world championship, possibly starting with victory in Monaco this weekend.

A moribund title contest has hotted up, with Norris winning for McLaren in Miami at the start of the month and harrying Verstappen all the way to the chequered flag in Imola last week. He finished less than a second behind the defending champion in a brilliant late fight.

Although 60 points behind Verstappen, Norris has 17 races to claw back the deficit. ‘Lando is really in the mix,’ said the Dutchman.

‘He is quite a few points down, but if they suddenly start winning that can turn around quite quickly.

‘It has closed up which makes it very important to be at our very best. Imola started off badly and we managed to turn it around, but I wouldn’t want to have a weekend like that again.’

Norris won his first ever race at the Miami Grand Prix and is fourth in the drivers’ standings

Verstappen also cast doubt on his own chances at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend

Verstappen has twice won on the principality’s famously tight streets but he fears the circuit’s unique demands will not play to the strengths of his Red Bull machinery.

‘It is a different track and not our best because our car struggles off the kerbs and in the low speed,’ he added.

‘We have worked on that and improved it, but it is not going to be a very easy weekend.’