Lando Norris throws down the gauntlet to Max Verstappen after the 4x F1 champion's remarks about McLaren

Lando Norris has thrown down the gauntlet to Max Verstappen and invited him to drive the McLaren after the Red Bull driver claimed he would dominate the sport in that car. The 2025 F1 season has started on a somewhat intriguing note, with the Woking-based squad having arguably the best car on the grid but struggling with consistency.

Despite the consistency, the McLaren duo have been unable to match Max Verstappen in being relentless at every single race. As a result, the fans witnessed Norris win the first race of the season, followed by Oscar Piastri winning the second race, and then the third race going to the Red Bull driver.

After the first three races of the season, the championship standings have Norris at the top, followed by Verstappen in P2 with just a one-point deficit. The fact that the Dutch driver has kept himself within touching distance of Norris has been interesting to see, and it is a result of the stunning weekend that the Dutch driver put together in Suzuka.

In what was an interesting claim that turned the heads of many, after the race in Japan, the 4x F1 champion joked that he would not even be seen if he had the car from the Woking-based squad.

That remark has led to a sharp response from Norris, who invited Verstappen to drive the McLaren and be surprised by it. The Briton told media, including Sportskeeda,

“I don’t mind, he can say what he wants. I don’t care, honestly. Everyone can say what they want and believe what they want. I believe both Oscar [Piastri] and myself are good drivers. He is maybe better at some things but he is not better in every area."

He added,

“I have a lot of respect for Max but I also know some things are not true, he can come and test our car any day that he wants and I’ll be excited to see the disappointment on his face after he gets out.”

We know how tricky our car is to drive: Lando Norris

Looking back at the season (so far), Lando Norris seemed very positive. Pointing out that he was still leading the championship, the driver admitted that the lead could have been greater if he hadn't made a few mistakes. Norris did, however, also point out that Max Verstappen is facing a similar set of issues as he is with his car. He said,

"It’s been a good start, I’m still leading. Could things have been slightly better, yes, but they’re not. Max and Red Bull have done a good job with a car that they say they’ve been struggling with. But for the same case we know our struggles, we know how tricky our car is to drive."

He added,

“It’s quick, and we acknowledge all of these things and the stuff people say, but we’ve also made some mistakes and we know we have to improve in certain areas.”

Norris still leads the championship by a point over the defending champion, but it would be interesting to see how he manages the race in Bahrain.