Lando Norris has hit back at Max Verstappen’s “comedy” claim that he would have won the world championship in the British driver’s McLaren.

Verstappen saw off Norris’ title challenge to wrap up his fourth successive title in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team are only third in the constructors’ standings heading into the penultimate round of the season in Qatar this weekend, while McLaren hold a 24-point lead over Ferrari with the British team on course to win their first title in 26 years.

As it stands, Verstappen would become the first driver since Nelson Piquet to win the title with his team so low in the constructors’ standings. Brabham finished third when Piquet took the title in 1983.

Speaking in the wake of his triumph in Sin City, Verstappen claimed he would have won the championship “a lot sooner” if he’d been driving Norris’ McLaren.

“He should start doing comedy or something,” said Norris on Thursday. “He can say whatever he wants. I completely disagree. He is good. But it is not true.”

Verstappen will begin his championship parade in Doha, but the build-up to round of 23 of 24 takes place against the backdrop of increased uncertainty within the FIA.

It has emerged that long-standing chief steward Tim Mayer was removed from his role by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The deputy race director for Formula One’s feeder series, Janette Tan, has also left her post. The upheaval comes a fortnight after F1 race referee Niels Wittich was stood down.

George Russell, fresh from his third career win in Las Vegas, criticised the decisions.

Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said: “Just when we have asked for transparency and consistency we are getting rid of two highly important people in the governing body, so it has gone a full 360.

Qatar F1 GP Auto Racing
George Russell wants more clarity around recent personnel changes in F1 (Darko Bandic/AP)

“We still don’t have any reasoning for Niels’ removal. I don’t think anyone was informed about Tim leaving, and the first I heard about the new race director for Formula Two this weekend was through the media.

“In any organisation if you have got people leaving, or a change of personnel, it is never going to be a stable environment. That is very challenging. And it must be super challenging for everybody within the FIA right now.

“So, we would love to get clarity and understanding of what is going on and who is getting fired next.”