After last weekend’s Spanish GP, Lando Norris initially blamed himself for messing up the start and missing out on his second Grand Prix win. However, on the eve of the 2024 Austrian GP, the #4 driver has clarified that his botched start was not a big mistake.
Norris started on pole at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. However, as the five lights went out, the Briton tried squeezing second-placed Max Verstappen into the more compromised line into turn 1. This allowed George Russell to swoop on the outside and pass both Verstappen and Norris, dropping the McLaren driver into third.
Verstappen then overtook Russell to take the lead in the race, and Norris never really recovered. Despite losing the lead at the start of the race, Norris does not believe that he made any huge mistake.
Norris was quoted on X (formerly Twitter) as clarifying, “My start last weekend was not a bad start. It was just not quite as good as what it needed to be. Maybe you can interpret that and say that’s bad, therefore. But it wasn’t like I made a big mistake.”
Norris: “Maybe you can interpret that and say that’s bad therefore. But it wasn’t like I made a big mistake, it was just another start that was there or there abouts, but because it’s a 600m run to Turn 1 it cost me more – I think it’s the second highest run to Turn 1.”
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— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) June 27, 2024
Despite the small error from Norris, the team itself is in high spirits. The Woking-based team have steadily built themselves up from a midfield outfit into a bonafide front-runner this season. After the Spanish GP, many have also touted the MCL38 to be a better race car than the RB20.
This prompted the #4 driver to discuss the shift in mindset the team has undergone over the past couple of seasons. Having a competitive package underneath them has now shifted their focus on the marginal gains.
Lando Norris says he needs to get better to beat Max Verstappen
The ultimate goal for McLaren is to dethrone Red Bull and Max Verstappen. Speaking about the process leading up to that, Norris has admitted that there are things that he needs to work on and things that the team as a whole has to address.
He continued, “There’s things I want to work on and the team needs to work on to do better. I’m not at the level I want to be at, but I’m at a good level and the team is at a very strong level.”
Norris: “There’s things I want to work on and the team needs to work on to do better. I’m not at the level I want to be at, but I’m at a good level and the team is at a very strong level.”
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— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) June 27, 2024
Naturally, the Briton is praising his team as his side’s efforts helped him win his first-ever F1 Grand Prix at the Miami GP earlier this season.
