Juan Pablo Montoya, the former Formula 1 driver, is sounding the alarm for Lando Norris, claiming that the McLaren driver risks sinking into oblivion if he doesn’t perform well in Austria. With the upcoming races in Austria and Great Britain, the spotlight is on Norris, who is still reeling from his recent incident in Canada where he almost took out his teammate Oscar Piastri.
A year ago in Austria, Norris had a collision with Max Verstappen, leading to his retirement from the race and opening the door for George Russell’s success. Montoya warns that if Norris fails to deliver in Austria and Silverstone, McLaren might lose him mentally for a long time. The pressure is on for Norris, especially as he will have one less Free Practice session compared to his rivals, with Alex Dunne taking his seat in FP1.
Montoya also expects a strong comeback from Verstappen in Austria, emphasizing that the Red Bull car is tailored to Max’s driving style. He believes that the Red Bull is not as bad as people think and that it could shine on the Austrian circuit, known for its traction-demanding corners similar to those in Japan. With Verstappen’s exceptional driving skills, Montoya predicts a strong performance from the Dutch driver in the upcoming races.
As the F1 season heats up, all eyes will be on Norris and Verstappen as they battle it out on the track in Austria, with Montoya’s words serving as a stark warning for the McLaren driver to step up his game or risk being overshadowed once again.