Juan Pablo Montoya believes Norris needs a new strategy if he wants to beat Max Verstappen. While he admires Norris, Montoya thinks a more daring approach is necessary.
Having raced for McLaren himself, Montoya finds it curious how Norris always seems to give way to Verstappen. “Max is the bully. As a racer, it is not what you want to see but it is a smart play. Max is more used to guys like Lewis [Hamilton] who wouldn’t stop at taking him out,” Montoya shared in a chat with Instant Casino.
Verstappen has two main strategies, according to Montoya. If his RB20 isn’t fast enough, he might try to “run Lando over and crash and take the points away.” Otherwise, he simply cruises around and collects points. This makes it tough for Lando to come out on top.
Winning the War Against Verstappen
For Norris to close the gap in the World Championship, he must change his racing tactics. Montoya suggests that being too respectful towards Verstappen won’t work. “When you have a guy like Lando who is very fast and a very clean driver, you can’t go trying to fight a championship against Max with Lando saying how much respect he has for him and he’s the best driver in the world! You might think that, but he shouldn’t be saying that publicly,” Montoya explained. Fans might wonder if this advice will lead Norris to victory or just more drama on the track.
Montoya also advises Norris to speak less about his admiration for Verstappen and avoid playing the victim role. Winning small battles isn’t enough; it’s about winning the whole war!
As Brazil approaches next weekend, Montoya expects some intense moments on the track again. He suggests that at some point, Norris should stand firm and say, “Screw you, I can crash into you and it’s ok.”
What do you think? Should Norris take Montoya’s advice or stick with his current style?
