Norris wants to open attack on Verstappen: 'I'm still in the battle'

F1 News

lando norris hopes to trump max verstappen in battle for wk
22 August at 14:39
  • Corwin Kunst

After 14 Grands Prix in 2024, Max Verstappen is defending a 78-point lead over Lando Norris. With ten GPs left (and three sprint races), it will be a hell of a job for the Brit to catch up with the triple world champion. The McLaren driver himself has not put the world title out of his mind, quite the contrary.

When GPblog asked Norris if he thinks the championship is within reach, the 24-year-old driver replies, "For the team absolutely. As a driver, I'm still in the race, but it's a lot of points [difference] and it's against Max. I am optimistic and would say there are still chances. I know the gap is big and it will be a very difficult challenge. But with how we perform, with how I know I can perform, if things go to plan, then it is possible."

Points for improvement

To be above Verstappen in the World Standings at the end, Norris needs to raise his level a little further. He says he will not do a whole lot of things to it after the summer break but is hoping for better starts.

"It's a mix of things," Norris says of the things he wants to improve in the second half of this season."It all starts in Round 1, but it's not like anything is missing now or that I need to make huge changes to be honest. That [at the starts] is where I missed the most. Overall, the races were very strong and the race pace good. I am also very happy with the strategy."

He continued:"There are a lot of positive things to mention, but they are always overshadowed by a bad start or a bad first corner or sometimes driving a bit on the safe side, trying to stay out of trouble, things like that."

This article has been written in collaboration with Ben Stevens. 

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