Lando Norris addresses Max Verstappen F1 title threat after Las Vegas setback

Lando Norris has declared he will not treat Max Verstappen differently compared to the rest of the F1 season as the Dutchman makes a late push for the drivers' title.

Verstappen was not considered a serious title contender for much of the year, with the McLaren duo of Norris and Oscar Piastri leading the way out front.

However, an uptick in form following the summer break provided Verstappen with an outside chance of clinching the title - a possibility that was boosted when both McLarens were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

It has left Verstappen just 24 points down on Norris with two rounds remaining, including the sprint format this weekend in Qatar, where extra points will be on offer.

Despite Verstappen's title threat being as large as ever, Norris asserted nothing will change when it comes to McLaren's procedures. 

“We've treated him as a threat the whole year, even when he was a few more points behind," Norris told media including RacingNews365. 

“Every briefing we've had before the race, we've treated him as a threat.

“We know what he's capable of, we know what Red Bull is capable of, so therefore nothing changes now because he's still the threat he's always been through the whole year.

“Nothing changes from anyone's side. From engineers, mechanics, myself - we treat it very normally. There's no point trying to treat it any differently. 

“We've been doing a good job and I'm very happy with the job we've all been doing. We know what areas we need to do better, we know what areas we need to improve on.

“I really try and not treat it any differently because there's no point - nothing needs to be treated any differently.”

Verstappen is now tied on points with Piastri, with the latter conceding that he now needs external elements to influence his title bid.

Piastri was once in control of the F1 standings and held the lead for much of the year before his form fell away after the summer break.

In the same period, Verstappen improved his results - but despite the contrasting form, Norris declared he does not see one as a greater threat than the other.

"Both are the same, they're both just as good as one another,” Norris said. 

“I know what Max is capable of, Oscar is capable of exactly the same as what Max can do.

"Both have pros and cons, him being in a different team and Oscar also being in the champions' team. 

“But each driver wants to fight for their own thing and prove that they're the best. 

“They're both competitive, they're both very strong, they're both incredible drivers and I'm excited to give them a good fight on track."