Max Verstappen did not pick Lando Norris when picking the one F1 driver he believes can become Drivers' Champion in the future.
Verstappen has won each of the last three championships, and is on course to win a fourth in 2024 after his incredible victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris is 43 points behind the Dutchman and has attempted to push him close in the second half of the season.
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However, failure to convert a pole position to a fourth victory of the season amid changeable conditions and misfortune has all but ended his hopes of winning the title.
Only the two most recent champions - Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton - are still active F1 drivers, with previous title winners Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen all retired.
Fernando Alonso, who won the title in 2005 and 2006, is the oldest championship winner still active in F1.
And speaking in an interview with DAZN, Verstappen made his pick of the other 17 drivers currently on the F1 grid when declaring who could be a future world champion.
Instead of picking Norris, or even his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, the Dutchman opted for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
He explained: "You can bet on a few I think, but only one? Hmmm, I'll go Charles. But you can pick many."
When he was told he could pick another driver, however, he did add Norris' name to the list.
Leclerc is set to finish third in this season's Drivers' Championship and has been one of the top-performing drivers during the second half of the season.
While the Monegasque driver has always been regarded as having the talent to become world champion, he has never quite had the car at his disposal over the course of an entire season.
Leclerc will team up with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025, with the Scuderia hoping that their new car can build on this season's recent successes ahead of the major regulation changes to be introduced for 2026.
Topics: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Formula 1
Ryan Smart