Lando Norris heads into this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix with a confidence that places him just one point ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The race will be round three of the current season and comes after Max Verstappen’s win in Japan just last weekend. With the battle for the title intensifying, Norris attempts to reflect on his last few outings. He looks back on the changing relationship between McLaren and Red Bull.
Norris, of course, finished as Verstappen’s runner-up last year. He’s been on a remarkable run of consistency, finishing second in each of his last two races. He welcomes the return of the favourite enemies, especially as McLaren – his old team – last week shattered Red Bull’s monopoly on the world championship crown. First and foremost, Norris wants to make sure everyone respects the sport’s competitive nature. He doesn’t want to hear whining from Red Bull — they should just work harder at being the best, he says.
McLaren’s Strong Start
It had been a historic start to the season for McLaren, with the British team winning the first race of the season in Australia. Norris’s impressive form has left him a point clear of Verstappen, who is currently seeking to defend his title after winning a fourth successive drivers’ championship last year.
Norris recognizes that every team pushes the limits of their cars, stating, “Red Bull pushes the limits just as much as other teams.” He mentioned uncertainty surrounding the impact of new technical directives on performance: “I do not know if the new ones will push the limits.” This is a great sentiment, but what’s wonderful about racing and specifically Formula One is that it is unpredictable – and so is technology.
Addressing Complaints
Norris has been vocal in his criticism of Red Bull’s approach towards some of the recent challenges to face the sport. He argues that rather than resenting rules and regulations, construction companies should direct their energies toward improving their outputs. “It is more that they should do a better job rather than keep complaining about things,” he said.
This declaration reiterates Norris’s assertion that no team should be exempt from following the same rulebook. “We respect the FIA doing what they’re doing and we’re happy that they keep trying to correct things because we don’t want anyone outside of those rules,” he added. He stressed that Red Bull has had more than enough chances to adjust to the new reality of regulations.
Aiming for Improvement
Looking at his last few races, Norris said that he wishes he would have taken a more aggressive approach late. “Last weekend, maybe I would have liked to have been a bit more aggressive,” he noted. He understands that racing decisions can be complex: “Sometimes in a car, you want to be more aggressive and the team tries to calm you down.”
As he prepares for Bahrain, Norris maintains a focus on his own team’s performance rather than fixating on rivals. “We focus on ourselves rather than complaining about others.” This is a move that would serve him tremendously well. He looks to capitalize on that momentum and contend for the win again in Bahrain.
Leave a Reply