Why Max Verstappen's win in Brazil means that the wheels have fallen off Lando Norris’ title aspirations.
A horrifying capitulation at the Brazilian Grand Prix has seen Lando Norris’ world championship dreams all but dissipate.
5 Nov 2024
Oliver van Bronswijk
The Roar

Poor racecraft coupled with a bad mindset signifies world championship aspirations remain far-fetched for the McLaren driver. Norris finished the Grand Prix in Sao Paulo a crushing sixth whilst Verstappen was victorious. Disbarring the Britan’s procedural error, leading the grid off after an abandoned start led to only a fine. A penalty could’ve been well justified adding to a catastrophic Sunday.

The potential for danger was high in an Interlagos storm and many assumed Norris would face a time penalty for his actions. Worst yet was Norris’ demeanour succeeding the race. In response to the red flag, Norris dismissed Verstappen’s fortune stating, “You take a gamble and it’s paid off for them. It’s not talent, it’s just luck.”

This attitude articulates an inability to look within. Failure to lead and build a gap in wet conditions cost Norris a chance at victory. Verstappen likely would have still triumphed but leading mitigates the threat, Norris is incapable of executing the aforementioned. Norris has also shown throughout the season a high degree of self-blame, which can be harmful to a driver’s confidence.

‘Poor racecraft coupled with a bad mindset’;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/0...e-aspirations/


‘Can just hear him saying’: James Hunt would have been ‘infuriated’ by what Lando Norris did at Sao Paulo Grand Prix
6 Nov 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

James Hunt would have seethed at Lando Norris for not passing George Russell – Peter Windsor Speaking on the Cameron CC YouTube channel, F1 journalist and former team member Peter Windsor lamented Norris’ failure to clear Russell. He felt that McLaren legend James Hunt would have been ‘infuriated’ watching him sit behind the Mercedes.

He said: “If James Hunt was doing the BBC commentary yesterday on the Brazilian Grand Prix, I can just hear him saying to Murray Walker after three laps ‘well come on Lando, leave it two more laps you’re never going to get past Mr Russell, come on, you can do it, you’ve got a much better car, stop messing around’. I can just see him saying that. He would have been infuriated by Lando just sitting there. And after a while, George metaphorically just turned the mirrors off.”

‘Infuriated’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jam...lo-grand-prix/


Bernie Ecclestone's take on Max Verstappen's Brazilian GP win speaks volumes after Lando Norris' 'luck not talent' comment
Lando Norris finished in a lowly sixth place in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
5 Nov 2024
Marcus Chan


After the race, Lando Norris received heavy criticism for his comments about Verstappen’s win. The McLaren driver said: “That’s life sometimes. you take a gamble (waiting for a red flag for a ‘free pitstop’), it’s paid off for them. it’s not talent, it’s just luck”. Speaking about Verstappen’s victory, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner revealed what Ecclestone told him during a phone call.

He said: “Bernie rang me after the race and said, 'I've seen all the greats; and that's one of the very best I've ever seen'. He's a bit older than I am and seen a bit more, so high credit from someone like him.” Horner than compared Verstappen’s first lap to F1 legend Ayrton Senna’s famous start at Donnington Park back in 1993. He added: “Today was an emotional rollercoaster because we knew we had a good car. Max's mental strength and attitude to deal with that is outstanding, and I thought his start today was electric.”

‘Speaks volumes’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/max-ve...38226-20241105


Painful Sunday for Norris: 'Not good when you get beaten up so badly'
5 Nov 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

Lando Norris now needs a miracle to win his first Formula 1 world title in 2024. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, has one hand on the trophy. However, Christian Danner saw Verstappen deal a blow to Norris and all of the F1 drivers on the grid.

"That was an incredible blow to his opponents. Max ended up driving one fastest lap after another. He showed his opponents that he is very much better," former Formula 2 champion Danner told ServusTV. "Besides the masterclass driving, it is also the mental stability that deeply impressed me. While there was a bit of luck involved, the deciding factor was staying cool in the most difficult conditions. And he stayed that way."

The analyst believes the McLaren driver was lucky to get away with a reprimand for pulling away at the aborted start. "He made a mistake just driving away, when everyone should know: only drive away when it is green," he said. "All in all, the weekend in São Paulo was certainly not good for Norris' confidence. It's not good when you get beaten up so badly. He made quite a few mistakes."

‘Lucky to get away with a reprimand’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31162...1-drivers.html


Zak Brown told what he should have said to Lando Norris after ‘lucky’ Max Verstappen comments
5 Nov 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Zak Brown should have told Lando Norris to ‘learn’ from Max Verstappen’s onboards in Sao Paulo. Speaking on the Cameron Cc YouTube channel, Peter Windsor outlined what Zak Brown should have said to Norris following his comments about Verstappen’s victory.

“The only thing I think is a bit disappointing is that, as Zak Brown, and I suppose you could never rely on a Stella doing this, but a Zak Brown doesn’t say to Lando: ‘wow, Max was unbelievable today,” he said. “We need to go and watch the videos, there’s a few things we can do there that Max was doing. We’ll get it right next time Lando, you drove really well mate. Don’t go thinking this was a lucky win because it wasn’t. We don’t want to go down that path.”

‘Learn’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zak...ppen-comments/


Lando Norris telemetry data shows the start of his Brazilian GP downfall
4 Nov 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris, who started the race in first place and alongside Fernando Alonso as the driver who lost the most positions to eventually finish sixth, and Oscar Piastri was unable to take advantage of the MCL38’s superior performance to put in a good result.

With the red flag, Lando Norris dropped to P4 behind these three drivers and Oscar Piastri dropped to P8 as Pierre Gasly held on the track and gained seven positions.

From here on, Norris lost his temper and made several big mistakes in the rain. The McLaren driver went wide at Turn 4 on the restart and lost position to Russell again to drop to P5. Piastri managed to at least gain a position on Yuki Tsunoda to move up to P7.

‘Norris lost his temper’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/la...an-gp-downfall


Bit to learn: Eddie Jordan tells Lando Norris to ‘toughen up’ after watching the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
6 Nov 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Eddie Jordan tells Lando Norris to ‘toughen up’ after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Jordan was asked if there would be a reshuffle in the established order on the grid if the regulations were changed and said:

“I reflect back to all of the years that happened and we know how tough the Prost/Senna days were with Mansell in there banging wheels and everything. They were tough days. And at the moment, there are a couple of drivers who still have to toughen themselves up. I include in that Lando. Lando has a bit of learn, he’s got unbelievable speed, there’s absolutely no doubt.”

‘Bit to learn’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/edd...lo-grand-prix/


Lando Norris has one more year to show he's worthy of becoming Formula One champion after Max Verstappen closes in on yet another title, writes JONATHAN McEVOY
4 Nov 2024
Jonathan McEvoy
MailOnline

Lando Norris was tetchy after losing - or, barring miracles, losing - the Formula One championship of the world to a force of nature called Max Verstappen. The McLaren man's comments in Sao Paulo on Sunday night were defensive. He will regret, and I guess recant, saying that it was not talent but 'luck' that permitted his Dutch rival to win the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen, starting 17th, gobbled up three cars at Turn 3 on the outside on the opening laps, shades of no less than Ayrton Senna at Donington in 1993, and then there was composure and skill to keep his Red Bull on the road, and devastatingly fast, as several of the other best drivers of their time slithered off it multiple times.

So, you can only excuse Norris for having come up against a talent so numinous you can't stop it. To borrow from boxing, Norris was a latter-day Frank Bruno, an accomplished fighter for sure but one who stood no chance in Las Vegas going up against 'Iron' Mike Tyson that ill-balanced night in 1997.

‘Lando Norris was tetchy after losing - or, barring miracles, losing’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...AN-McEVOY.html