Villeneuve: Flaw in F1 regulations cost Norris the 2024 title

Speaking to the media team at Grosvenor Sport, Villeneuve was referring to the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen benefitted, or "got lucky" as Norris put it when a safety car during the race played into the hands of the Red Bull driver.

Verstappen, as well as the two Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, remained out on track as the rest of the field pitted for tyres, including Norris. Shortly after that, the race was stopped to clear Franco Colapinto's wrecked Williams.

The big losers were Norris, Russell, and Tsunoda, who changed tyres just before the red flag.

It should also be noted that Verstappen was in imperious form as he carved his way through the field, in treacherous conditions at times, from P17 to the top step of the Sao Paulo podium in what many regard as one of the finest drives of his career, and F1 for that matter.

Villeneuve reflected on the Sao Paulo race: “Lando Norris’ luck turned halfway through the race in Brazil because of what happened with the safety car.

“There’s a flaw in the regulations, and he paid a heavy price, and that was extremely bad luck, and there was nothing he could have done with that. Then the pace that Verstappen had in the second half of the race came out of nowhere, which was incredible.

“It's not in Lando's hands anymore. All he can do is race hard and fast and hope that the Red Bull doesn't score. That's all," ventured the 1997 F1 World Champion.

Indeed, unless Verstappen suffers a DNF in the remaining three races and Norris nails maximum points, the triple F1 World Champion.

F1 Stats show that Verstappen will automatically take the title if Norris doesn't outscore him by at least three points in Las Vegas. The Red Bull driver on 393 points is 62 points up on Norris with three GPs and a Sprint Race to go.

Villeneuve continued: "McLaren said the weirdest thing after Brazil, and that was the team’s priority was not the F1 Drivers' Championship but the Constructors’ title. That is very odd. That's what teams that don't win say.

“Ok, the Constructors' title brings you money. But nobody cares about the constructors’. People only remember who the world champion driver was, and the team was linked to that world champion.

“And ultimately in people's minds, that's the team that was world champion. The constructor is only good on paper and for the extra money it brings to the team. That's about it. Outside of the team itself, nobody actually cares about it.

“To me, that shows that they didn't really help Lando out that much. But Verstappen winning in Vegas, that's a good place to win it if he does! It's an exciting place to win it," reckoned Villeneuve.

A maximum of just 86 points is now available across the final three race weekends; on current form, it would be no surprise if Verstappen wraps up the title in Las Vegas, says the 53-year-old Canadian: “The odds are very much in Max's favour.

"He's just got to go get around and finish. If he does win it in Vegas, he’ll be a very deserving champion. No issues there. It will still have been a great championship. And it was already unexpected to have someone bring the fight to Red Bull and to Max.

“Whatever happens till the end of the season, it will still have been a great championship and a good battle. And whichever of the two wins, they’ll be a deserving champion.

“In June, Max was so far ahead that we thought this is going to be a boring championship, and then Max drove to the rules; maximised the rules.

“They are very difficult rules to write because it's never black and white. There's always a grey area, and you have different marshals for every race. So, you have a different decision made on the same action, race after race.

“The drivers don't even know if they'll get penalized or if the other driver will get penalized for the same action. That makes it very complicated," lamented Villeneuve.

As for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Round 22 of the 2024 F1 World Championship, Villeneuve said, "The track is exciting race-wise because there are long straight lines, it requires heavy braking, there are braking opportunities in between the walls, and you’re in Vegas.

It is like racing in Monaco, which makes it special. The layout favours good racing. And you race late at night, which is fantastic," Jacques added.