Lando Norris reflects on the Grand Prix weekend in Las Vegas with mixed feelings. Both McLarens were disqualified after the race, a significant blow for the British team. However, Norris is trying to put the result behind him quickly. The Brit is now focusing on the Grand Prix of Qatar, where he can clinch his first world title.
After the Grand Prix in Las Vegas, both McLaren drivers were disqualified because the plank under the car was worn down too much. As a result, Lando Norris left without any points and saw his lead over Max Verstappen shrink. However, the Brit believes that McLaren had little choice but to push the limits in the pursuit of success. “We had a tough weekend,” Norris reflects. “Every team fights for victories. You always have to go to the extreme — and that’s exactly what we did in Las Vegas.”
Although the disqualification was a hard blow, it was not a total surprise for Norris. “To be honest, we had kind of expected it, so it wasn’t as if it was a complete shock or came out of nowhere. We were quite well prepared for this outcome.” According to Norris, the disappointment was not only in the lost points, but mainly in the impact on the team. “Of course it hurts. So much work goes into every weekend, from everyone, including myself, and it felt like all that work had disappeared in one fell swoop. But that feeling applies to all of us — the mechanics, the engineers, myself. Everyone at McLaren was disappointed with the result.”
Focus on Qatar
Norris says he was able to let the situation sink in quickly after the race. “Actually, I was fine. I left the track, we did a debrief and discussed what went well, what didn’t go well and what we needed to improve for this weekend. It hurts, but we’ve accepted it and we have to move on.” According to Norris, it helped to take a few days off: “For me, it was actually quite easy to just move on, take some time off and fully focus on this weekend again.”
