Lando Norris hits back at 'clueless' Max Verstappen after Red Bull star claimed he would have 'easily' won the world title in his rival's McLaren

Lando Norris hit back at Max Verstappen’s jibe that we would ‘easily’ have won the world title by now if he was driving the McLaren – calling the four-time world champion clueless.

As the season reaches its climax, Norris leads Verstappen by 25 points after today’s sprint race in Qatar. Afterwards the British driver said: ‘Max is very welcome to say everything he wants. He has kind of earned the right because he has won four world championships.

‘I have a lot of respect and he has achieved an incredible amount – more than anyone one could dream of achieving – and that gives anyone credit.

‘Max generally has a good clue about a lot of things, but there are also a lot of things he doesn’t have much of a clue about.

‘But it is also Red Bull’s way of going about things, an aggressive nature and just talking nonsense a lot of the time.

‘Maybe he would have done (won the title easily) but he hasn’t done so far.’

‘It depends if you want to listen to it and talk about it as he would love you to do, or do what we do as a team which is keep our heads down and stay focussed.’

It was advantage Norris after he finished third in the sprint after holding off Verstappen, who came fourth. That put Norris in charge of the championship, though there are still 50 points available in Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix and next weekend’s Abu Dhabi finale.

Norris was responding to Verstappen stoking their rivalry by saying: ‘We wouldn’t be talking about a championship (battle). It would already have been won, easily.

‘I mean they won the constructors’ championship so early, you can fill it in yourself.’