Lando Norris Vows to Catch Up in Formula 1 Standings After Frustrating Spanish Grand Prix
Britain’s Lando Norris expressed his disappointment and frustration after failing to convert his pole position into victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, ultimately finishing second behind Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen. The McLaren driver acknowledged that despite his consistent podium form, which has propelled him to second in the Formula 1 standings, his focus remains on bridging the gap with Verstappen.
Norris, who secured his maiden pole on Saturday, trailed Verstappen by 2.2 seconds at the end of the 66-lap race. He admitted that his team had the quickest car on track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but struggled to overcome Verstappen’s strong start. The Mercedes of George Russell capitalized on Norris’ slower start, aided by a double dose of slipstream, and briefly took the lead.
“I did what I could. It wasn’t the best start. I don’t think it was a bad start,” Norris told Sky Sports F1, highlighting the challenges posed by the slipstream and the draggy nature of the cars.
With Norris now 69 points adrift of Verstappen in the Formula 1 standings, he emphasized the need for improvement to catch up with the Red Bull driver.
“If it’s like this every weekend, you know I need something more. I need Max to not finish second, or be as good as he’s doing at the minute, but he’s doing a good job, so I can’t fault him.”
Despite his frustration, Norris remains confident in his team’s abilities, stating, “I think as a team, we have the good car. We still need to improve on some things and I’m confident we can.” The Miami Grand Prix winner acknowledged that opportunities like the one presented in Spain cannot be squandered, saying, “Today we had the opportunity to win. Whether or not we had the best package or we didn’t or whatever the questions are, we should have won the race and we didn’t.”
As the Formula 1 season enters its triple-header, Norris is determined to close the gap with Verstappen and mount a serious title challenge. With the Formula 1 news revolving around his consistent podium form, Norris is poised to make a significant impact in the remaining races.
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