Lando Norris has admitted he was shocked by Max Verstappen’s performance after winning the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 24-year-old went into the event in pole and, while he initially gave up the lead on lap one, proceeded to win his second race of the season.
Norris, speaking in the pen after the race, said he was shocked that Verstappen wasn’t quicker as he closed the gap on the 26-year-old at the top of the Formula One standings.
“Saturday is always a good indication of what you are able to do and we were very quick yesterday so we had high hopes,” said the Briton.
Lando Norris has spoken out after winning the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday
REUTERS
“The car has been lovely to drive.
“I thought Max would be quicker that he was. It seemed like he was the outlier as he dropped all the way back to the Ferraris, which was a surprise.”
Norris was also asked about his chances of securing championship glory come the end of the season.
And he insisted that he’d been eyeing the F1 title ever since the first race, while also acknowledging there are still areas McLaren need to improve in.
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“I have been the whole year,” he said when asked if he was fighting Verstappen for glory.
“It’s not like I now decided to do it. Honestly I have had the car for quite a while, that’s been obvious.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been the best since Miami but on average we have been, but it’s clear that we missed out on opportunities to beat him and we didn’t.
“That’s in the past, we’ve reviewed those things, we’ve tried to take a step forward in lost of areas and a result like today proves exactly that.
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“More places to work on but it was a good start to the second half of the year.”
Verstappen, meanwhile, complained about Red Bull’s car after finishing second – insisting he’s struggling to get it to perform how he’d like.
“I’m not surprised with how my feeling was in the car,” he said.
“I couldn’t do anything. Everything I tried to do…I said it during the race, whatever I do with the car, the inputs are not really translating.
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Lando Norris thought Max Verstappen would be faster after winning the Dutch Grand Prix
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“When I steer left, it doesn’t feel like it does immediately. Or it just doesn’t turn how I want to.
“It’s very complicated to understand that why that is and how we fix that.
“The positive was the start but quite early on in that stint, Land was waiting for the opportunity. I degged a bit and couldn’t make the tyres work.
“He came by and from that point onwards, I was focused on bring it to the end in the best possible position.”
Max Verstappen was frustrated after finishing second to Lando Norris at the Dutch Grand Prix
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Red Bull chief Christian Horner added: “McLaren were in a different league today. We did everything we could. Max turned P2 into a lead but their pace was in a different league.
“We have plenty of work to do but we have learned some valuable lessons this weekend. Time to digest and bounce back in Monza.
“We still have a comfortable lead in the Drivers’ Championhip but a chunk of points has come off the Constructors’ so we have to respond.
“I am confident we have the strength to do that.”
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