After a challenging race at Interlagos, where Lando Norris endured a difficult weekend while Max Verstappen excelled, the McLaren driver has acknowledged that he was not completely ready to challenge the world champion earlier in the season. Reflecting on his performance, Norris acknowledged that while he was not ready to take on Verstappen and Red Bull in the early stages, he has since learned valuable lessons and believes he is now better equipped for future battles.
“I probably wasn’t outright ready to go up against Red Bull and Max,” Norris confessed to reporters in Las Vegas. “I think I am now, but it’s probably too late to do that this season.”
Norris noted the rarity of taking on a driver of Verstappen’s caliber early in one’s career, saying, “Maybe other drivers in the past were ready for such an occasion, but no one has gone up against Max so early on in their career, halfway through the season, and put up a pretty reasonable fight.”
Although Norris acknowledged that he has fallen short in some areas, he has consistently been open about his efforts. “I’m there, but there’s no one else doing it. I’ve done my best, I’ve not done well enough, and I’ve always admitted that,” he said. “Max is probably one of the best drivers ever in Formula 1. I don’t think you’ll probably get a much better driver than Max in Formula 1 ever again.”
Looking ahead, Norris is hopeful for the future, saying, “For me to fight against someone that good takes a bit more than what I’ve probably achieved this season. But I think what I’ve done since the summer break is closer to what I need to be, and I think that’s close to being good enough to fight for it next year.”
Despite the setbacks, Norris found a bright spot on Saturday at Interlagos, securing victory in the Sprint after his teammate Oscar Piastri allowed him to pass. However, the disappointment from the Sunday race lingered. Norris, who has previously spoken about struggles with mental health, admitted that the events at Interlagos left him feeling down for days.
“For a week, I was pretty down because I had that realisation of things are pretty much out of my control now,” Norris revealed. “Not within reach necessarily. That’s a tough realisation when hopes and your belief are so high. For it to get knocked down so much all of a sudden was pretty demoralising and not the best of feelings. But you learn to accept that’s life.”
As Norris looks to the future, he remains focused on improving, accepting the challenges as part of his growth in the sport.
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