LUSAIL, Qatar — Lando Norris has brushed off a claim made by Max Verstappen regarding his recent Formula 1 title victory, labeling it as “comedy.” It was reported that Verstappen suggested he could have clinched his championship earlier if he had been driving the same McLaren car as Norris, who has been his strongest competitor this season.

Verstappen recently secured his fourth consecutive championship during the Las Vegas race, and after the event, Dutch-speaking media highlighted his comments about potentially achieving earlier success with the McLaren. In response, Norris stated, “He should consider a career in comedy. He can claim whatever he wants. Naturally, I completely disagree, as expected. He’s a talented driver, but that’s just not the case.” These remarks were made by Norris on Thursday, just before the Qatar Grand Prix.

When Norris’ comments were presented to Verstappen, he replied confidently, saying, “I know exactly what I can accomplish and what I cannot.” Verstappen had mentioned after the Las Vegas race that he felt he hadn’t driven the quickest car in the entire F1 grid for about “70% of the season,” yet he expressed satisfaction in maintaining a strong lead in the championships.

On his part, Norris highlighted his shift in focus towards aiding McLaren in their bid for the constructors’ title, which they have not won since 1998. Heading into the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, McLaren finds itself at the top of the leaderboard, ahead of strong contenders Ferrari and Red Bull. This weekend also includes a sprint race on Saturday that will award additional points.