Max Verstappen will win the 2024 drivers’ title, but it will be McLaren victorious in the parallel constructors’ world championship.
That’s the confident prediction of former Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who told sport.de that Lando Norris will come up short in his head-to-head with the reigning triple world champion.
"He (Verstappen) already has a lead, so now he just has to be a bit lucky," the 93-year-old said. "So as far as the drivers’ title is concerned, it will definitely be Max.
"But McLaren will definitely win the constructors’ championship," he added.
Verstappen, whose Red Bull team is now struggling, built up his points lead early in the season, but Ecclestone thinks Norris often faltered once he had the superior car.
"McLaren has two very capable drivers and a very good car," he said. "But Norris has made a few mistakes so far, which he knows he made and which he would rather not have made.
"I think he’s got it pretty well together now," Ecclestone added.
However, he also thinks Norris’ younger teammate, Oscar Piastri, is arguably the bigger star of the future.
"The Australian, I think, is a magic guy," he said. "He would, for sure, be world champion within the next two years if the car keeps performing the way it is. That’s what will happen.
"He really stands out amongst all the others."
Ecclestone was also asked by the German outlet to comment on that country’s Formula 1 demise, pointing the finger at Mercedes for not trying harder to keep a German GP on the calendar.
"It is disappointing that Formula 1 has fallen asleep in Germany," he also told German broadcasters ntv and RTL. "In my time, the greatest support for me probably came from Germany. Now, there no longer seems to be the financial willingness to do what is necessary to bring Formula 1 back.
"I would have thought that Mercedes would perhaps help a little more to ensure that there is a German race again. But I suspect that it is difficult for them to make such decisions."
Ecclestone also questions whether F1’s current CEO, Stefano Domenicali, is really serious when he says he is an advocate of a German GP comeback.
"I think he’s providing what the American owners want to see," he said. "More races. So I’m not so sure.
"There have been a lot of great new races in recent years, which is great. I’m happy about that," Ecclestone continued. "That’s how Formula 1 has been kept alive and developed more."