Max Verstappen Calls Out Mentality of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Before Mexico GP

Max Verstappen appeared to question Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri's mentality ahead of the Mexico Grand Prix.

Heading into this weekend's race in Mexico, Verstappen is firmly back in the fight to become Formula 1 world champion.

Before the summer break in August, Verstappen trailed Piastri by more than 100 points, with a few starting to write the Dutchman off in the title race.

However, after winning three out of the last four races and McLaren's recent struggles, Verstappen is now only 40 points off the leader.

With Verstappen hot on their heels, the McLaren pair have been at war. Norris tangled with Piastri in Singapore before the Australian took his teammate out during a chaotic opening lap in the United States Grand Prix sprint.

With him being the hunter in this season's title race, Verstappen was asked whether he has to deploy some mind games.

However, in response, the Dutchman said he did try playing mind games against Lewis Hamilton back in 2021, but stated that he won't need to do so this year against the McLaren pair.

The 28-year-old also claimed that, due to this being the McLaren pair's first title charge, they are bound to be more nervous.

Speaking to Dutch news outlet De Telegraaf, Verstappen explained: "That’s hard for me to say. Back then [in 2021], that was also the game I played a bit. Will I do that again? I don’t need to.

"Back then, I’d never won a world title, and now I have a few. And they [Norris and Piastri] don’t."

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are looking to hold off the challenge of Max Verstappen. Image: Getty

He added: "And at this stage, you’re naturally more nervous if you haven’t become world champion yet than if you already have those titles."

Meanwhile, Hamilton warned Piastri and Norris that in order to hold Verstappen off, they have to be 'cutthroat'.

The seven-time world champion said: "You really have to be cutthroat. That's what Max is, you know. He's gonna take this from them if they don't do the same.

"They've got to be pushing. And you've got to dig deep to, firstly, to be able to hold on [to] someone like Max and in the car that he's in at the moment. But also, for either of them to come out ahead, you know, consistency is key. And you've seen that from Max in the last few races."