Norris Hails Verstappen’s Brilliance After Vegas Title Seals

Lando Norris commends Max Verstappen’s dominance, while McLaren F1 grapples with a challenging Las Vegas weekend.

Lando Norris officially conceded his final hopes of a world title in Las Vegas, finishing sixth behind Max Verstappen, who secured his fourth consecutive crown. The McLaren F1 driver praised his rival and his performances.

“Max deserved to win; he had a better season than me. He deserved it more than anyone else. Max simply has no weaknesses. When he has the best car, he dominates, and when he doesn’t, he’s still always there,” said Norris.

“Congratulations to him, though it stings a bit. Saying congratulations doesn’t hurt, but knowing the championship isn’t 100% over always gives you a little hope. He had an incredible season. He made my life tough, and I’m sure we made his tough at times, but he had a better season.”

Reflecting on his own result, the Briton admitted the Las Vegas weekend was very challenging: “The race was quite tough; the pace was poor, the grip, tire management—it was just a bad weekend for us.”

Addressing rumors and controversies surrounding McLaren, including the rear wing at Baku and allegations of water being used in their tires for better management, Norris expressed frustration.

“No, people can say what they want. The wing made a small difference, much less than everyone thinks—it has nothing to do with that. And the other controversy is just nonsense!”

Oscar Piastri was penalized for stopping too far forward in his grid box. However, the Australian driver, who finished seventh and was far behind his teammate, didn’t see it as decisive in his race.

“I didn’t think I was that far forward, but I don’t think it changed much. The middle of the race was tough, but it didn’t make a difference—we just weren’t quick enough in the race,” said Piastri, who was still pleased to minimize damage against Ferrari.

“We knew this would be a tough circuit for us, and we expected Ferrari to be strong. It’s not ideal that they gained points, but it could have been worse. It’s going to be tight between us, but I’m confident we’ll have a good weekend in Qatar.”