Norris on 2024 battles vs Verstappen: "Not everything he does is perfect"
F1 News
The 2024 Formula 1 season has been one of mixed success for Lando Norris. Of course, it has been his most successful by some margin, sealing the constructors; championship for McLaren with a fine win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, also earning P2 in the championship as a result. However, some poor mistakes and disappointing results let a great opportunity to win the world title slip through his fingers. In Abu Dhabi, he reflects on it all, including some great battles with Max Verstappen.
Coming into the 2024 season, Norris did not have a win to his name, despite many podiums. However, McLaren brought an extremely competitive car to the grid this year, and Norris took advantage, earning his first-ever win in F1 at the Miami Grand Prix with a super race. He was able to win three other races during the year, with his latest one at the Yas Marina Circuit sealing McLaren's first constructors' title since 1998.
However, there were plenty of opportunities that the Brit did not take, with wins slipping by in Imola, Austria and Brazil that could have changed the title battle massively. As a result, Norris missed out, and it was Verstappen who took his fourth consecutive title, finding much more consistency than the McLaren driver over the season.
Norris reflects on a rollercoaster 2024 season
Speaking in the press conference after the Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, Norris was asked about the season he has just had, and if there were any performances or moments that helped him improve or learn over the season: "Honestly, it's probably the harder moments which are the ones you learn the most, so it's kind of true what people say. Those harder times, my battles with Max, that kind of thing, certain other cases throughout the season.
"If I go back to Austria and Silverstone, none of them are necessarily ones which have made me doubt myself anymore. This season's been my best season from a performance. Personally, was it good enough? Probably it wasn't, no. But when you look at my own performance and my qualifying performances, for instance, they've been almost twice as good as what I was last year, especially compared to the other guys in exactly the same car. So I've definitely stepped it up at a good level this season."
One of the issues that the McLaren driver faced was that he was continually facing one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen in Verstappen, and Norris knows that there are no easy opportunities when facing the Dutchman in battle: "Obviously, I lost out on a few things and there were maybe three starts this year, which lost me one or two positions at times. But they were positioned quite often just to Max. Or one to Oscar, and little things like that. But none of them, when I look back on them, made me feel like, ‘Well, I've not got what it takes’. Those only moments came when it was directly against Max, and it's Max.
"Going up against Max in any stage is always going to be tricky and no one has a nice time racing Max. I think Mexico was a bit of a turning point when it was proved that not everything he does is perfect. I think if we all go back to Austin and go back to turn 12, the majority of, I say almost everyone on the grid as drivers and also externally, disagreed with the fact I got the penalty we either both should not got one or we both should have got one. I think it's little cases along the way but I certainly from a pace point of view have not doubted myself this year and I think I've definitely given myself more faith," concluded Norris.
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