Lando Norris remains confident his season is successful, with no regrets, even if he falls short of Verstappen’s lead.
9 points per race: If Lando Norris wants to catch Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings, he needs to gain 9 points per race on average. That’s more than the gap between first and second place. And to win the title, he would need one more victory than Max.
On the eve of the Austin Grand Prix, Lando Norris knows he can no longer afford any mistakes.
This gap could have been narrower, though, had McLaren F1 and Lando Norris better seized their opportunities: perhaps not letting Oscar Piastri take the lead again in Budapest, or winning races that shouldn’t have slipped away, like in the UK.
If Lando Norris finishes second to Max Verstappen, wouldn’t that be seen as a disappointment? A paradoxical disappointment, given McLaren F1’s form this year, but a disappointment nonetheless…
That’s not how Lando Norris sees it, at least according to what he told the press in Austin.
“If I finish second, it’s because Red Bull and Max did a better job.”
“We started the season far behind. Everyone thought Max was going to win easily.”
“So they don’t have the gap they had after the first race that everyone thought they would maintain. It’s still a year to be proud of.”
“But as the season goes on, you constantly reevaluate your expectations – and now we are a front-running team fighting for the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.”
On a personal level, Lando Norris knows he’s given his all and won’t have any major regrets.
“I’ve done a good job. I’m happy with the work I’ve done and what we’re doing as a team, and I’m confident that if we stay focused and keep pushing, we can close the gap.”
“It’s not easy, it takes more than me finishing first and Max second, but I can’t change that—just keep my head down and focus on myself.”
But Lando Norris does admit to having some regrets, particularly at Silverstone, where McLaren F1 could—and should—have won the Grand Prix.
“There are races we regret not winning, probably Silverstone being the main one that didn’t go as it should have.”
“And we look at that with some regret—regret that we didn’t finish in better positions than we did.”
“I still think it’s been a good year—one I’ve enjoyed. It’s tough because you never really know. Sometimes you always think you could have done this a little better or that a little better, and even now, there are moments where I think, ‘Man, if only I’d done this or that.’”
“I’m not going to say where, but in different situations, if I lose the championship by a few points, I can easily look back and say, ‘I probably made a bad decision here,’ and that could have cost me. But if I win by one point, I’m sure Max will have things he’ll say, like, ‘Oh, I probably lost out here too.’ It’s easy to find excuses and reasons for things. If I finish second, it’s because Red Bull and Max did a better job. That’s my only answer to that.”
McLaren F1 bounced back after Silverstone.
After the UK, Lando Norris assures that McLaren F1 refocused to ensure no more missed opportunities.
“From Silverstone onward, there was more focus from everyone, including the mechanics and engineers, because it was becoming more real—yes, we were in a position we had worked very hard for.”
“I love it… there’s more pressure and a bit more nerves, but I’m always very calm and relaxed about it all.”
“So, as much as things can go wrong, they can also go right, as they have for us. We’re fighting against the best of the best, and it’s been a fun year. I think, no matter what happens, it’s still been a successful season. I’m sure I’d be happier with a win than a second place,” he concludes with an obvious statement.
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No Regrets: Norris on Chasing Verstappen, No Matter What No Regrets: Norris on Chasing Verstappen, No Matter What
