After a season of intense clashes between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in 2024, Nico Rosberg believes the McLaren star needs to push for regulatory changes and sharpen his racecraft to challenge Verstappen in wheel-to-wheel battles next season.
The 2024 Formula 1 season was punctuated by a fierce rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, with multiple on-track clashes that shaped the championship fight. From Austria, where a collision ended Norris’s race, to controversial incidents in the United States and Mexico, Verstappen often emerged victorious, paving his way to a fourth Drivers’ title.
As Norris enters the 2025 season as a favorite for the championship, thanks to McLaren’s Constructors’ title-winning car, 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg has offered advice on how the Briton can close the gap to Verstappen in critical racing moments.
Verstappen’s edge in wheel-to-wheel combat
Rosberg, a veteran of intense rivalries, highlighted Verstappen’s mastery of the “grey area” in F1 regulations, which allows the Dutchman to push boundaries in wheel-to-wheel racing.
“Max is a master of maximizing the grey area,” Rosberg said on Sky F1. “He goes beyond the limit but just within; actually, he’s been above it a couple of times. And he’s such a fierce wheel-to-wheel racer. I think it’s fair to say that Lando lost pretty much every single wheel-to-wheel moment they had together.”
Rosberg noted that Verstappen’s aggressive tactics often force opponents into difficult positions, resulting in penalties for Verstappen on occasion but usually benefiting the Red Bull driver.
The case for regulatory change
To level the playing field, Rosberg suggested Norris should advocate for tighter wheel-to-wheel racing rules.
“At some point, you cannot just lunge and expect the other guy to move out of the way every time; there needs to be a limit that’s set,” Rosberg argued. “A new limit, I’d say, because at the moment, the regulations just allow him to do these lunges, and the other guy has to move out of the way. As long as Max stays on the track, then he’s good—that’s just too extreme.”
While influencing FIA regulations may be a long-term goal, Rosberg emphasized the need for immediate tactical improvements.
A tactical solution for Norris
Rosberg advised Norris to focus on understanding Verstappen’s racecraft by studying his moves in detail.
“He needs to analyze every single wheel-to-wheel battle that Max Verstappen has been in throughout the last three years,” Rosberg explained. “The team needs to prepare snippets of videos, and he needs to study them, understand what he could do better tactically to beat Max in those situations.”
Learning from experience
Rosberg, who battled Verstappen during the early stages of the Dutchman’s F1 career, understands the challenge of taking on a multiple world champion. He recalled his own struggles against Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during his time at Mercedes, where understanding and adapting to their tactics became essential.
“Max is relentless,” Rosberg added. “You need to meet that intensity with your own level of precision and aggression.”
2025: A pivotal year for Norris
As Norris gears up for the 2025 season, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With McLaren delivering a car capable of winning both championships, the pressure is on Norris to capitalize on the team’s strong foundation. Whether through regulatory adjustments, tactical refinement, or sheer determination, Norris must find a way to match Verstappen’s dominance in close combat if he hopes to claim his first Drivers’ title.
The Verstappen-Norris rivalry is set to define the season, and the battle for supremacy promises to deliver another thrilling chapter in Formula 1 history.
