F1 News
Norris: 'It's good to see a different podium without Red Bull and Max'
Lando Norris finished in P4 at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, and he was quite outspoken after the race. The Briton commented on the race, how Carlos Sainz was saved by a red flag, and also shared his thoughts about seeing a podium without a Red Bull driver.
Following the race, Norris was encouraged to see that his team, McLaren, and Ferrari were able to defeat Red Bull Racing this weekend. "I don't think they're struggling that much, they weren't winning but he was what two-tenths or something, two and a half tenths off a pole, so it's like he's not had a bad weekend. It's just Ferrari were very quick and we were just there in between like we have been the last two races," the Briton told GPblog among others following the race.
He continued: "They're not struggling, it's just people are closer so it makes them look like they're struggling but the fact is we're quicker and Ferrari are quicker and they're just not as quick as they used to be really. Without them struggling he's still not on the podium and that's never happened in the last couple of years. I know it's great, I mean it's amazing to see a different podium as bad as it is to say, it's also great for people watching and for other drivers that opportunities are there so it's exciting and I think for the championship, for all of these things."
Norris critical of red flag rules
On the other hand, Norris was not happy with how Carlos Sainz got P3 back after his puncture on Lap 1. "Carlos got quite lucky there with the red flag because he was out or last, and that was his own fault. But, for him to get it back was annoying because it put me back down to fourth. So, you win some or lose some in those situations of red flags. Sometimes it helps you out. Sometimes it hurts you a bit."
The McLaren driver added: "He ran into Oscar and gave himself a puncture. I don't think it's the fairest thing, but I'm sure there have been moments in the past when maybe I've been fortunate from it and they could have fixed the car a little bit or something like that. When you think of it in just the blunt way, it is frustrating and unfair, because someone makes a mistake and because of a certain amount of cars or whatever the rule is, didn't cross the line before the red flag and blah blah. He gets to undo that mistake and gets a free pit stop, it's not fair."