Lando Norris is confident that he possesses both the car and the assurance needed to string together a series of victories.
Lando Norris aims to disrupt the competition this weekend as he challenges series leader and three-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix, hosted by Verstappen’s Red Bull team. Following a streak of strong performances, including two consecutive second-place finishes behind the Dutchman, the McLaren driver is eager to close his 69-point gap in the championship standings. The 24-year-old British racer believes he has the vehicle and the confidence to forge a winning streak.
“We’re on a roll and performing well,” Norris remarked, though he acknowledged some frustration with his own mistakes.
“I need to fine-tune a few minor aspects and we’ll be in top form. I am confident.
“Each weekend we head into, the car is performing exceptionally, and we’re consistently competitive, often just a few tenths off the pace.”
Norris took responsibility for not converting his pole position into a win at last Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, despite outqualifying Verstappen.
Since his victory at the Miami Grand Prix in May, Norris has elevated his performance to become a primary contender for the title against his friend. He has finished within four seconds or less of Verstappen at races in Imola, Montreal, and Barcelona, extending his run to 10 podium finishes in the last 23 races.
However, both Norris and McLaren are aware that Verstappen will be a formidable opponent, bolstered by the support of his passionate ‘orange army’ on a track where he dominated last season, reinforcing his control over the championship.
‘Significant progress’
This year presents a different scenario, with the 11th round of the championship poised for a close contest, potentially influenced by the third sprint race of the season. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged that his team is facing more competition and anticipates a challenging weekend.
“On such a short lap, it’s going to be tight, and we expect McLaren, and Lando, to be fast again along with Ferrari and Mercedes.
“Who knows?
“Lando has really stepped up, and we’re having to fight hard for wins and stay on top of our game as a team. But that’s what F1 should be!”
Mercedes, after their recent resurgence, hopes to remain competitive, with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton encouraged by his first podium finish this year and teammate George Russell confident that the Silver Arrows have regained their form and spirit.
“We’re all excited about the rest of the season,” Russell stated.
“We have more wind tunnel time than any of our rivals and understand what we need to do to make significant progress now.
“We’re cautious, but I’m 100% confident that we will win races this year.”
Regardless of the outcome this weekend, as Verstappen seeks his fifth win, he will extend his record of leading the championship to 50 races.
This consistency is reassuring compared to last year’s chaos, where results were adjusted five hours post-race due to numerous penalties for exceeding track limits. This year, such issues are unlikely, thanks to the installation of 2.5-metre gravel traps at the exits of Turns Nine and Ten at the Red Bull-owned circuit.
Last year, over 1,200 potential violations were investigated, resulting in 83 confirmed infractions and penalties for eight drivers.
