Two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi believes Lando Norris and Max Verstappen share a “magic” similarity in Formula 1.

Max Verstappen has long been held as the benchmark in F1 since the emergence of his and Red Bull’s dominance in the 2020s.

Even though Lando Norris beat him to the punch in 2025, the Dutchman’s late presence in the title fight was enough to make McLaren anxious, with only two points separating them in the final championship standings.

This year, Norris has shown exactly why he deserved to win a title through his fine performances at the wheel of McLaren’s sub-optimal 2026 challenger, which has led F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi to identify a similarity between the pair of world champions.

Emerson Fittipaldi has seen similarities between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris while ‘under pressure’

During a recent interview with Betway Insider, Fittipaldi was asked for his thoughts on the reigning world champion amid his flailing title defence versus Kimi Antonelli.

The Mercedes star can secure the 2026 title next time out in Texas, with Fittipaldi noting how McLaren have lost ground to their rivals through the introduction of this year’s new ruleset.

“Lando is another very fast driver and a world champion,” he began, before adding: “He is extremely fast in the wet and in difficult conditions. He is always able to put together a quick lap when needed.

“Similar to Verstappen, he can suddenly pull out a magic lap under pressure. McLaren lost a little bit of ground with the new rules, but they are recovering. Again, circumstances just didn’t help McLaren this year.”

In a previous interview, Fittipaldi named Norris as one of his favourite drivers, with Verstappen joining his rival in the exclusive club along with Antonelli, Oscar Piastri, and above all, Fernando Alonso.

Emerson Fittipaldi hails Max Verstappen as the ‘very best’ driver in the world

On top of the Brazilian F1 legend’s plaudits for Norris, he also took the time to heap praise on Verstappen.

After being asked whether he thinks the Dutchman can one-up his formerly fierce rival Lewis Hamilton and end his career as an eight-time F1 world champion, Fittipaldi replied: “For sure, he has the potential to do that.

“He enjoys the sport and is very committed to any type of racing. Driving a sports car around the Nürburgring keeps his senses, reflexes, and coordination alive and keeps him on the absolute edge of human limits.

“He’s still very young and has a long way to go. To me, he is still the number one driver in the world. The very best.”