Berger warns McLaren teammates could crash in title battle
Gerhard Berger isn’t holding back about what might happen between McLaren’s drivers as the F1 season reaches its climax. The former F1 star sees trouble brewing between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“Both are competing for the world championship,” Berger told Sport.de. “Both drivers will go all out, and the team has to hope they don’t collide.”
It’s a nightmare scenario for McLaren as they chase both titles.
Berger believes Norris has the edge in the championship battle.
“If he doesn’t make any big mistakes and luck is on his side, he’ll do it,” the Austrian said.
But he’s quick to point out that Piastri shouldn’t be written off.
“He had a dip in form, he only makes mistakes because he lacks experience — but that slump may now be over.”
What about Max Verstappen? The defending champion seems to be on the outside looking in.
“Verstappen never has fluctuations, but the points gap is too big,” Berger explained. “He only has outsider chances to pull the fish out of the water, for example if both McLarens retire.”
## Norris showing confidence in Las Vegas
Norris has hit the ground running in Las Vegas, topping the timesheets on the opening day despite concerns the circuit might not suit McLaren’s car.
The British driver is feeling much more at home compared to last year’s event.
He couldn’t complete a proper long run due to a red flag that interrupted practice – a problem that affected all drivers.
The timing couldn’t be better for Norris to find his groove, with just a handful of races left to decide the championship.
Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog’s F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog’s YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.
