‘The next Max’ Verstappen pointed out, he might “wind up” Lando Norris

The next Max Verstappen has been pointed out - and it’s a driver whose key personality trait might irritate Lando Norris, it is claimed.

Verstappen and Norris were last year’s F1 driver’s championship rivals but they both trail Oscar Piastri after six rounds of the 2025 season.

The eye-catching McLaren driver Piastri has won three grands prix in a row to take command of this year’s title battle.

Piastri notably emerged unscathed and dominant from a battle with Red Bull’s Verstappen for the second race in a row at the F1 Miami Grand Prix.

Norris initially lost time against polesitter Verstappen, but Piastri got the better of the reigning F1 driver when they were at close quarters later in the race.

However, it is a personal trait which Piastri shares with Verstappen which has been spotted.

'The new Max' Verstappen is named

“Oscar is the next Max. He has learned already from Max,” L’Equipe journalist Fred Ferret told the F1 Nation podcast.

“The way he overtook Max is a different way to the way he did it in Jeddah, which was brave.

“For Oscar, to do it twice, both brilliant…”

Laura Winter added: “He has a champion mind-set to compartmentalise what has gone on.

“The move he made on Max, to let Max go in deep, then come around… the little bluff he did!”

Podcast host Tom Clarkson praised Piastri’s manager for sharing his expertise.

“You can’t overstate the influence Mark Webber is having on him,” Clarkson said about the ex-F1 driver.

“He’s been in those situations and is sharing the knowledge with Oscar.

“We are seeing him improve every weekend.

“I had a catch-up with Mark who was saying Oscar and his physio are so monosyllabic that he has no idea what either are thinking.

“We had a laugh but then I thought: ‘If you are Lando Norris, that might wind you up…’

“Not knowing what your main rival is thinking…”

McLaren do not name a No1 driver, even when Norris was challenging Verstappen for last year’s championship.

They altered that approach in the latter part of 2024 but, currently, McLaren treat Piastri and Norris equal whereas Red Bull prioritise Verstappen.

Piastri’s three grand prix wins on the spin - in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami - could yet force McLaren to rethink their philosophy.

Piastri leads second-place Norris by 16 points in the drivers’ standings. Verstappen is 32 behind the leader.

The seventh round of the season, the F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, is next weekend.