F1
Admitting Shortfalls, Lando Norris Eyes Championship Showdown with Verstappen
Lando Norris admits he hasn't shown world champion performance level, evaluates his potential to compete with Max Verstappen for the 2024 F1 championship.
Lando Norris has conceded that his performance in the first half of the 2024 Formula 1 season has not been up to "world champion" standards.
This season, the McLaren driver has consistently posed a significant challenge to Max Verstappen and the Red Bull team, establishing himself as their most reliable and formidable competitor.
Although a first grand prix win in Miami has been a highlight, Norris admitted that he has made "a few too many errors" and lost "more points than he should have" to Verstappen.
"During the initial part of the season, my performance hasn't matched that of a world champion. It's as straightforward as that," Norris stated before this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, where Crash.net is present in the paddock.
"I have experienced that occasionally. I have participated in many races, but minor issues have held me back, and I can't afford those setbacks. Recently, in the last few races, I haven't performed at the level required."
Norris identified the beginnings of races and the initial laps as crucial aspects that need enhancement. He expressed satisfaction with the overall progress of the season but acknowledged that there were too many errors and lost points.
"This isn't the performance level required to compete for a championship and challenge a driver like Max."
The 24-year-old from Britain emphasized that the criticism directed at him has not impacted him, noting that it has been "completely" fair on certain occasions.
He emphasized that he was okay with it and didn't care, adding that people could say whatever they wanted.
"As far as I'm concerned, if I understand my actions and those close to me—my group, my circle, my team—are also aware, then I'm content."
"I’m not concerned about others' opinions. I’m content with people having their own thoughts as long as I’m clear about my objectives and delivering on them."
"In my responses and interviews, I have been forthright even when I haven't been."
With 10 races remaining, Norris is trailing Verstappen by 78 points. Despite this gap, he remains confident in his ability to compete for the championship against the three-time world titleholder.
Norris expressed confidence about McLaren’s ability to make up their 42-point gap to Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, saying, "As a team, we definitely believe we can achieve this."
“As a driver, it's still possible, but it's a significant number of points and it's against Max. I want to stay hopeful and say that there are still opportunities.”
"I understand it's overwhelming and will be extremely challenging, but given my potential when everything falls into place, I still want to hold on to the belief that it's achievable."
Discover More
Recent Updates
Recent Updates
Site Map
Crash.Net
©1999-2024 Crash Media Group
You cannot reproduce the text, photos, or illustrations, either in whole or in part, in any manner.
Discover more from Automobilnews News - The first AI News Portal world wide
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.