Singapore Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri has learned ‘lessons on risk’ for rest of season after poor Baku weekend

Norris said Verstappen was “really a challenge” for the championship with seven races, and that McLarea Team Manager Andrea Stella repeated an opinion in Baku.

Two weeks ago, the Dutch won the fourth victory of the season and Piastri won Seven and Norris Five.

Norris said Verstappen is always a greater threat to McLaren than usually perceived.

Briton said: “If you returned to the beginning of the season, they were challenging the first six, seven races, they were challenging us on the drivers, and then we brought some upgrades, it developed a little.

“A few races ago, they brought some upgrades, and it seems to put them on the same level as us.

“We are still waiting, and we still go into every race with ambition and still wanting to dominate as a team and to maintain the form we have spent the whole season.

“Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull were definitely closer to the last few weeks, so we are particularly waiting for war with them.”

Verstappen, who has never won in Singapore, said, “To be honest, I see it as a race with a racing issue. Especially if you look at how the season is going, sixty -nine points are still too much.

“McLaren was incredibly dominant, it doesn’t change suddenly. So I’m not very stressful for anything to me.”

McLaren will be almost certain that this weekend will win the championship of the makers – Mercedes will receive them the title of 31 points or Ferrari 35 points.