Lando Norris is the only driver as good as Max Verstappen - Helmut Marko

Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has said that he feels only Lando Norris is as good as Max Verstappen when it comes to driver talent on the current Formula 1 grid.

The Dutch world champion is looking to defend his crown this year in 2022, and certainly has a chance providing his car does not suffer any more reliability issues.

Indeed, when he finishes he wins so far this season and maintaining that record will help him make inroads into the 27-point deficit he currently has to Drivers’ championship leader Charles Leclerc.

Undoubtedly, Ferrari man Leclerc has shown all the talents and ability that he has this season in taking the fight to Max, and many believe that this could be the next famous rivalry in the sport.

For Marko, though, it’s actually Norris and not Leclerc that is on a par most with Verstappen for driving talent, and that it’s only the fact that the Briton is in the slightly slower McLaren that is stopping him from proving that fact.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Marko said:

“The only driver that I see with the same talent as Max, and in the same league, is Lando Norris, but he doesn’t have the best equipment at the moment.”

Certainly, the McLaren car is not as quick as the Ferrari or Red Bull at the moment but it has certainly made strides since the start of the year and Norris has been able to make use of that with him earning a podium last time out at Imola.

There’s no doubting he is a top-class driver, but there are surely several other names that will feel they are in the same bracket as Max at the moment, even if Marko does not believe that is the case.

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