Despite Lando Norris’s dominant victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, both Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert believe that Max Verstappen cannot be ruled out as a contender for victory in Brazil. While McLaren enters the weekend at Interlagos as the clear favorite, the Dutch driver has shown in recent races that Red Bull has made significant progress.
With only four rounds remaining in the 2025 Formula 1 season, just one point separates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, while the reigning world champion Max Verstappen trails the British driver by 36 points. Considering the Red Bull driver’s unexpected wins in Monza, Baku, and Austin, as well as his second-place finish in Singapore, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him close the gap in the final races.
Interlagos has traditionally been a strong circuit for Max Verstappen, who also ranks among the drivers with the most victories at the Brazilian track. However, McLaren’s form in Mexico — with both drivers performing exceptionally — suggests that neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri will let go of victory easily this Sunday.
Herbert’s view
According to former F1 driver Johnny Herbert, Lando Norris could even secure back-to-back Grand Prix victories after his impressive triumph in Mexico City. However, he also warned that Verstappen and Mercedes should not be discounted.
“If he continues to live in that mental bubble he’s in right now, I think yes, I think he’ll keep going,” said Herbert on the Stay on Track podcast. “Because he’s in that position of power that helps him have an easier race weekend than he used to.”
“It was all much more complicated before,” Johnny Herbert continued. “Now I think he’s freer. And that freedom will allow him to perform at his very best.”
Speaking about the Dutch world champion, he added: “He’ll definitely give it everything and put pressure on them.”
In recent years, only Verstappen and George Russell have managed to win the Brazilian Grand Prix. For this reason, Herbert sees Mercedes, alongside Red Bull, as a realistic challenger for victory this weekend.
Hill agrees
1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill also noticed that Norris’s recent progress has been stronger than Piastri’s in the last race.
“It’s possible that Piastri has regained some confidence, but now he’s feeling the weight of it — he knows he’s not leading the championship. It’s not destabilizing him, it will make him react. So it’s a direct fight with Norris,” Damon Hill explained.
When asked about other potential contenders for victory in Brazil, he replied: “Obviously Max will be a big factor. Ferrari too, perhaps, since they didn’t perform too badly in Mexico.”
Lando Norris’s win in Mexico came with the largest margin of the season so far. Still, Hill expects Red Bull and Verstappen to be on the same level as the Woking-based team this weekend.
“I don’t know if McLaren has found the perfect setup, but Red Bull has made improvements,” Hill concluded. “So I don’t think it will be an easy race for either McLaren, because I think Max could be right there on the front row.”
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