Alain Prost praises Lando Norris but calls Max Verstappen clearly superior. F1 analysis: Prost hails Norris but sees Verstappen as unmatched.

At the final Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, a podium finish would have been enough for Lando Norris to claim the world championship, regardless of his rivals’ results. Finishing third, the McLaren driver officially entered the F1 record books for the first time, beating both his teammate Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen in the championship standings.

The vote from ‘The Professor’

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had made a late-season comeback in the standings, but even his victory at Yas Marina wasn’t enough to stop Norris. As things stand, Verstappen now holds four world titles in his career, the same as Alain Prost. Speaking to Canal+, Prost emphasized that while Norris had an impressive turnaround this season, he still cannot match Verstappen’s level: “Incredible things happened with Lando,” Prost said. “At the start of the season, he wasn’t at his strongest, while Piastri was. Then Lando came back incredibly strong, and Verstappen made a recovery no one expected. I have to congratulate Lando, but Max is clearly superior to the others.”

The explanation

Analyzing the title fight as a whole, Alain Prost offered more personal insights: “I think all three drivers deserved it this year, but for different reasons,” he continued. “Lando remains a remarkable champion, even if it’s difficult to compare his season to Max’s, because he was a bit isolated within his team. The other two secured more wins and points against each other. This year required resilience and mental strength. Norris had a consistent season with the right enthusiasm, although it may not have been as impressive as Verstappen’s performance. The question now is whether we’ll see a new Norris. Perhaps we’ll also see a different Piastri, because he’s now the challenger. Lando came back strong, but we must remember he is ultimately British.” – the former Ferrari and McLaren driver pointed out.

Whether Alain Prost’s “clearly superior” tag still applies when the all-new 2026 cars hit the track remains one of the biggest questions heading into the winter.