Lando Norris opens up about recent errors affecting his F1 2024 campaign.
- The McLaren driver finds himself in second place, trailing Max Verstappen by 78 points.
- Norris attributes his mistakes to trying too hard during crucial moments.
- He admits to struggles with starts and turn one maneuvers, impacting his points tally.
- Despite setbacks, Norris remains optimistic about McLaren’s overall performance.
Lando Norris, the promising McLaren driver, is taking stock of his recent ‘silly mistakes’ that have contributed to his lagging position in the F1 2024 standings. Entering the summer break, Norris is 78 points behind the leader, Max Verstappen, and while still in the hunt, he’s been candid about the unnecessary errors that have plagued his recent races.
The young driver has been frustrated by blunders over the last few races, particularly with his starts. A striking example occurred at the Belgian Grand Prix, where a misstep at Turn 1 dropped him from fourth to seventh, significantly impacting his race-day performance. He eventually finished sixth but was bumped up to fifth after a disqualification ahead of him.
Norris remarked, ‘I think I just need it to reset.’ This reset comes at a crucial time as he prepares for the latter half of the season. He explained that the mistakes were not due to difficult challenges but rather a series of ‘silly things,’ such as running wide off the track in attempts to avoid collisions and maintain position. Despite this, Norris is upbeat about his car’s ‘strong pace’ and the team’s excellent performance.
He cited the past few weeks as particularly challenging, noting that he hasn’t ‘clicked’ as much as needed, thereby losing valuable points. Nevertheless, Norris is committed to bouncing back stronger after taking time off to ‘forget about’ these recent challenges. He remains confident in his team’s capabilities, acknowledging that they possess what it takes to fight competitively.
While Norris is trailing behind in the Drivers’ Championship, McLaren is much closer in the Constructors’ battle, only 42 points behind Red Bull. This contrast highlights the team’s potential, even as individual errors create setbacks for Norris himself. His candid admissions about ‘trying a bit too hard’ resonate with the reality that even top athletes face highs and lows.
Norris is determined to overcome these hurdles and return with renewed strength after the break.
