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Can Lando Norris Win the 2024 Championship?

Somin Bhattacharjee
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NORRIS Lando (gbr), McLaren F1 Team MCL38, portrait press conference, PK, Press conference during the 2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix

Lando Norris, in his quest for his maiden world championship, is chasing down three-time reigning champion Max Verstappen. The task is daunting and gets more difficult by the day, but all things considered, Norris can stand tall come the end of the season, at least on paper.

Currently, Norris is 47 points behind thanks to his P2 finish in Mexico City. Starting from third on the grid, Verstappen made Norris’ life difficult, pushing him off the track and also trying to gain an advantage on him by overtaking him outside the track limits.

However, there was no major controversy as the stewards penalized the Dutchman, handing him a 20-second time penalty. This effectively ended Verstappen’s chances of getting on the podium, as he finished P6, scoring 10 points less than Norris.

It was a positive weekend for the Briton, but looking at the larger picture, it might be a little too late for the McLaren driver. While he theoretically can finish ahead of Verstappen, he needs to gain around 12 points per race to win his first world championship.

McLaren does have the faster car, and with two sprint races still remaining, Norris will have the opportunity to grab some extra points in the coming weeks. But it won’t be easy because all the race wins the #4 driver has dropped in the past few months won’t come easy now with increased competition at the front.

Norris has others to worry about

While outperforming Verstappen — by around 12 points — in the last four Grand Prix weekends should be Norris’ primary objective, he cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that Ferrari could spoil his and McLaren’s title ambitions.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have won the last two races, and will surely be one of the favorites heading into the Brazilian GP next weekend. In case, Norris gets outshined by the Maranello-based outfit’s drivers, his best hope to secure the title would be to count on Verstappen to finish even further down — barely score points, if any at all.

But performances like Mexico City would have been a huge boost for Norris. If McLaren and the Bristol-born driver can make that one extra push and start winning races again, the championship could be Norris’ by the end of the season.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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