I'D ALREADY BE WORLD CHAMPION IN LANDO'S CAR

Cocky Verstappen taunts Norris... as he piles on title pressure

- BY PHILIP DUNCAN in Doha

MAX VERSTAPPEN has claimed the world championship would "easily" be over by now if he was behind the wheel of Lando Norris' McLaren.

And the four-time champ claimed the pressure is all on Norris as he tries to clinch his first Formula One title at this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix.

Verstappen had fallen 104 points off the championship pace, but, along with McLaren's Oscar Piastri, he heads into the final two rounds just 24 points adrift of Norris.

"Your dream is to win a championship and that is when the pressure is on," said the Red Bull driver.

"It was the same for me when I was fighting for my first title. You definitely feel more pressure of being in that fight and thinking 'this is my chance' and not knowing if you will get another one.

"People can hide a lot. And I would if I was in his (Norris') position. The pressure of getting it over the line is in the back of his mind.

"He is more affected by it when someone says something negative but every person is different. I don't care. I am like 'whatever, you can say what you want'.