Lando Norris has praised Max Verstappen for his exceptional driving after the Dutchman secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Despite his own hopes of keeping the title race alive, Norris was unable to outscore Verstappen by the required margin, and the 27-year-old Red Bull driver wrapped up the 2024 championship with two races remaining in the season.
Norris, who finished sixth in the race behind Verstappen, admitted his disappointment at being mathematically eliminated from title contention but was quick to acknowledge Verstappen’s dominance. “Congrats to Max – I’m disappointed I’m out of it, but Max deserved to win it,” Norris said. “He drove a better season than I did, he deserved it more than anyone else. Max just doesn’t have a weakness.”
Norris emphasized Verstappen’s remarkable consistency and resilience, stating that even when not in the best car, the four-time world champion always manages to be competitive. “When he’s got the best car he dominates and when he’s not got the best car, he’s still just there, always there to make your life tough and difficult,” Norris continued. “He drove a very good year, can’t fault him.”
In the Las Vegas race, neither Verstappen nor Norris had the outright pace to challenge for a victory. However, Verstappen finished in fifth place, while Norris, who did manage to secure the fastest lap point, was sixth. This result meant that Verstappen mathematically secured the championship, with two rounds still to go in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Despite McLaren’s struggles in Las Vegas, Norris remains optimistic about his team’s chances in the ongoing Constructors’ Championship battle with Ferrari. He acknowledged that the team had to extract the maximum from the race and every point mattered as the season heads toward its conclusion. “I think we had to get everything out of it today, every point is going to matter at the end of the season as Ferrari are performing well,” said Norris.
Looking ahead, Norris is hopeful that McLaren’s performance in Las Vegas was an anomaly and that they will return to their usual competitive pace in the upcoming races. “I don’t think our usual is quickest necessarily, but we’ll keep fighting,” he added. “I think the Constructors’ fight is very much alive still, I’m confident we can still do it, but it’s not going to be easy by any means.”
With Verstappen’s dominance this season, McLaren will need to regroup and remain focused as the Constructors’ Championship continues to heat up in the final races of 2024.
