LANDO NORRIS believes he has received a possible boost in his bid to beat Max Verstappen for world championship glory after Red Bull was ordered to make changes to his car.

Rival teams claimed Red Bull gained an advantage by using a controversial device that allowed them to adjust car settings between qualifying and the race – something not banned in the sport’s rules.

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A senior Red Bull team representative said: “Yes, this device exists, although it is inaccessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to go.”

“In the many correspondences we have with the FIA, this part has been raised and we have agreed a plan for the future.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, McLaren’s Norris was asked whether the FIA’s decision to intervene would give him the title advantage.

He replied: “If it helped them and they used it in a way that people think they did, then maybe it will move in our direction.

“But they would not have obtained several poles and victories thanks to such a system.

“I don’t think it will really change anything, but when you look at the gaps in qualifying, and when the gap is only a few hundredths of a second, then you could say it helped.

“It’s good that the FIA ​​is doing such a thing. There’s a difference between black and white things like this, and a difference between Formula 1 and pushing the limits and innovating.”

“That’s where we’ve done a really good job, but we’ve been careful not to go any further.”

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Oscar Piastri, Norris’ McLaren teammate, said: “From what I’ve heard and what I’ve been told, something like this doesn’t push the boundaries, it clearly breaks them.”

Norris’ emphatic victory in the final round in Singapore a month ago means he trails Verstappen by 52 points with 180 remaining over the remaining six rounds.

Norris has taken 26 points from Verstappen in the last four races.

And there will be eight more points up for grabs in Austin with a sprint race on Saturday.

He said: “After Singapore, I wanted to continue.

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“We were in a good rhythm, and have been for a while, but everyone needs a break, including my team.

“It’s nice to restart and put my head down again.

“I’m happy with the way things have gone and I’m confident that if we keep our heads down and keep pushing we can achieve this, we can close the gap, but it won’t be easy.

“I need more than me first and Max finishing second, but I can’t change that.

“I have to focus on myself and leave the rest to others.”

F1 journalist Isabelle Barker’s prediction

I expect Max Verstappen to be firing on all cylinders over the next six rounds. I also think his experience and aggressiveness could give him the advantage.

It seems too little, too late for Norris to show any consistency, despite that dominant win in Singapore last time out.

We can’t help but think about what might have happened if he had sorted out his first-round issues sooner.

Norris needs to prove he has the mental fortitude, because we all know he has the speed, the team and the fastest car.

Verstappen had an eight-race winless streak, but he still managed to score points, with three second places during that period.

So I think the Dutchman will win his fourth world title this season, just barely.