Lando Norris has dismissed as “comedy” a reported claim by Max Verstappen that he could have secured the Formula 1 title earlier if he’d had the same McLaren car as Norris, his closest challenger.

Lando Norris joked that Max Verstappen should go into comedy after the Red Bull driver claimed he would have won this year’s F1 world title sooner if he was driving in a McLaren. Verstappen sealed his fourth successive world championship in Las Vegas last weekend, with Norris now unable to catch him with two rounds remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Lando Norris said Max Verstappen should be a comedian when he responded on Thursday to the newly-crowned four-time champion's claim that he would have won the title more easily if he was driving for McLaren.