Norris looking forward to Alonso challenge at Monza

Lando Norris says he is looking forward to the challenge that Fernando Alonso will pose when he goes up against him in first practice at Monza. The F2 driver believes it will be a valuable experience for him to compare himself with the two-time world champion.

Norris drove in FP1 at Spa in place of Alonso, an experience that Norris believes will be very different to when he steps back into the cockpit of Stoffel Vandoorne's car in Italy.

“I think it’s going to be very different to here,” Norris is quoted by Crash.net. “Here’s there’s not that many big braking zones, I guess you’ve got Turn 18, Turn 1. Apart from that, it’s generally quite long, flowing corners, which you have a bit in Monza but even Monza you have lower downforce than here.

“So it’s going to be a bit more tricky, but at the same time it’s going to be another good opportunity for me to get comfortable with the car, learn about different things, with a different package, just kind of learn.

“That’s all it is, help myself develop against Fernando, because I’ll be in Stoffel’s car. It’ll be good to compare in some ways against him.”

With the recent runs in practice sessions, rumours have been whipped up suggesting that Norris could be replacing Vandoorne for 2019, something that Norris himself isn't too sure about just yet.

“It’s too difficult on my side to say for next year. It’s not like it’s a yes or a no yet,” he added.

“It’s just trying to do the best job I can in these opportunities that I get to show what I can do, be consistent, have good feedback, be fast, at the same time not make mistakes.

“It’s an opportunity at max.”

Norris is currently second in the F2 championship in a very tight championship battle with Mercedes junior driver George Russell, who is in the lead of the championship by just five points with just six races remaining.