David Coulthard, a former racing driver, has given McLaren driver Lando Norris a reality check. Coulthard, who was providing commentary for F1TV during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, made a notable jibe at the British driver. Norris, who started from pole position, lost the lead to Max Verstappen in the first corner. Coulthard explained that Norris was trying to outdo his rival in a direct battle, but he simply isn’t at Verstappen’s level yet.
On Friday evening, Lando Norris secured pole position for the third Las Vegas Grand Prix. In pouring rain, he clocked a time three-tenths of a second faster than Max Verstappen, who also lined up on the front row. This was an excellent starting position for Norris to extend his lead in the world championship; before Las Vegas, he already had a 49-point margin over his Dutch rival. However, he felt his third consecutive victory slipping through his fingers in the opening round.
Norris got off to a good start, but made a sharp left turn in an aggressive defensive maneuver to cut off Verstappen. However, he went too far, pushing his rival against the wall and ending up on the dirty part of the track. This cost him dearly; he braked too hard due to excessive speed and went straight on in the first corner. Verstappen held his line and inherited the lead, followed by George Russell. “I just messed up,” Norris admitted afterwards.
Coulthard: ‘Norris Doesn’t Understand the Rules of Max’s Games’
David Coulthard was far from impressed with Norris’ antics. The Scot observed Norris opting for a ‘Verstappen-like’ move, but explains that Norris is not yet ready for such duels. “Norris tried to beat Verstappen at his own game,” Coulthard commented. “The problem is that he doesn’t know the rules of that game.” Clear words from the former racer.
While Norris accepted second place after the race – knowing he was still more than forty points ahead of Verstappen – his smile would soon fade. A few hours after the flag dropped, both McLaren drivers were summoned to the FIA stewards. The skid blocks of Norris and Oscar Piastri were found to be too worn down, resulting in both being disqualified. As a result, Verstappen is now only 24 points behind the Brit.
