Lando Norris: “We’ll have to work hard”

Qualified on the front row, the McLaren driver held his ground well at the start and quickly settled into a distance duel with the Red Bull driver.

The race was intense but clean, highlighted by a heated moment at the pit exit during the first stop: Lando Norris and Max Verstappen emerged side by side, which briefly forced Norris to put two wheels on the grass. There was no investigation, as the stewards deemed it a typical racing incident between two leading drivers fighting hard but fairly.

« It was racing. Max is the last person I expect to give me space, and I mean that in a good way, in the spirit of competition », reacted the McLaren driver.

A frustrating second place

Throughout the race, Lando Norris maintained a steady pace, but was unable to really threaten Max Verstappen. Despite all his efforts, he finished just over a second behind the winner, frustrated not to have been able to convert his good pace into a victory, but satisfied with the overall performance.

This result allows him to maintain the lead in the championship, with a slim one-point advantage over Max Verstappen. He leaves Suzuka with the feeling that the victory was likely decided in qualifying, an aspect he plans to optimize for the upcoming races.

McLaren bet on a two-stop strategy for Lando Norris, using a medium-medium-hard combination, similar to that of his teammate Oscar Piastri. The goal: to maximize early race pace while maintaining some flexibility in case of a safety car or changing conditions.

At the start, Lando Norris quickly settled behind Max Verstappen, aiming to stay within the DRS window to maintain the pressure. His first stint on medium tires was solid, with a consistent pace allowing him to stay in the leader’s wake without overly wearing his tires.

During the second stint, still on medium tires, Lando Norris tried to keep up, but Verstappen gradually opened up a small gap. McLaren then opted for hard tires towards the end of the race, a cautious choice to ensure maximum stability and durability until the checkered flag.

Despite a good consistency and clean tire management, Lando Norris was never able to get close enough to attempt an attack. The strategy was good, but the lack of track position from the start played against him.

« I guess I just lost my chance yesterday. Max had a good race today, without any mistakes. It was a full-on race from start to finish, so it was intense, but there was nothing I could do to catch him. »

They deserved the victory this weekend. They are fast, they are coming back strong, and as a team, we didn’t have enough this weekend. We’ll have to work hard, he concluded.