Norris has some growing to do before he's on Verstappen's level

It wasn't a straightforward mission for Norris as he fought with his teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull Racing's Verstappen for the 2025 Drivers' Crown.

He made mistakes, showed vulnerability, and in the end managed to beat Verstappen by only two points as the Dutchman launched a mid-season comeback, coming back from a 104-point deficit.

That showed the quality of Verstappen, a fact that was acknowledged by everyone within F1, including this site, as we named him Driver of the Year; his rivals also picked him as the best in 2025.

Former Ferrari engineer Jock Clear admits he is puzzled by how good Verstappen is and said: "I don't know Max Verstappen at all, and I don't know anything about him; in some ways, it's a bit frustrating, because from the outside, he does look to be such a talent, but I'd really like to understand where that comes from.

"If you try and calculate the way he's so much quicker than those other drivers in the Red Bull and Racing Bulls, from the outside, as an observer, you can't close the circle; it just doesn't add up.

"You can't help but come to the conclusion that Max is very special," he claimed. "What Max did at the end of the 2025 season was just unbelievable. He is the level that all the other guys need to aspire to at the moment."

The British engineer claimed Norris knew that he needed to work more to be level with Verstappen.

He said: "I don't think I'm taking anything away from Lando Norris, the current world champion, in saying that.

"I think Lando is probably fully aware that he has more to give, and he'll be a stronger driver next year, and he'll have the confidence of having number one on his car.

"But he's got some growing to do before he's on the same level as Max," Clear concluded. (Source: CasinoHawks)