Home

F1

Despite McLaren Mounting a Blitz, Lando Norris Fails to Catch Max Verstappen in the Unawares

Published 08/12/2023, 4:45 AM EDT

Follow Us

via Imago

While we saw Mclaren’s lackluster efforts at the Spanish GP and the Miami Grand Prix, the team was busy in its stages of development and we had no idea how the MCL60 would eventually come out. However, prior to the summer break, the team pulled an incredible accomplishment. They put their car behind Max Verstappen that too in the middle of the season, by winning two consecutive podiums. So does that imply that Lando Norris has used their MCL 60 to its fullest extent? Max Verstappen doesn’t believe so.

Verstappen and his crew have been competing in their own league. The team has won every round thus far thanks to their mastery of the formula of sidepods. And with such dominance, the team never anticipated encountering a challenge. Especially from a group that had initially struggled to move up the rankings.

However, the efforts of Lando Norris and the team impressed the Dutchman. Given, after team Mclaren underwent a big technological improvement and introduced the B spec version of the car, Norris, who at one point in June was finishing outside the points, came close to Verstappen by the time July arrived. On July 9th, Norris received his eagerly anticipated podium finish, and that too at his home race. Soon after, things started to turn around.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Nevertheless, Lando Norris’ attempts, despite his impressive performance, haven’t caught Max Verstappen off guard, but why? According to Independent.co.uk, despite the Papaya Army’s increasing onslaught, when Lando Norris was unable to chase down the Dutchman, the double champion pointed out the British driver’s blind spots.

He stated, “I think Lando has done extremely well. But this is also not a surprise to me. It’s just good to see finally that when you have a competent car that you can do a good job and he’s here in P2, twice. It doesn’t need a number even.”

There is no denying Red Bull’s continued dominance, even as Piastri and Norris keep up their assault on Max Verstappen and company. The Milton Keynes performance, according to many people experiencing this incredible supremacy, has made the sport monotonous. However, one might want to know what did Verstappen’s best friend think of this Mad Max storm?

What does Lando Norris think of Max Verstappen’s unreal supremacy?

In several of the races, Max Verstappen raced by the next-best driver on the grid with an average margin of 20 or more seconds. And besides winning 10 out of 12 races so far, there’s another stat favoring Max Verstappen. According to data, Red Bull’s DRS speed is more than 3.1 mph faster than the Mercedes, which is currently in second place.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Verstappen has been unstoppable while working with the Red Bull team led by Adrian Newey and Christian Horner. And it is said that the fans are becoming weary after more than 1.5 years of dominance of the double champion. Norris, on the other hand, has different opinions on the matter, as he stated while siding with his best friend.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

via Imago

According to Norris, as per a viral tweet, “I think it’s good. I think it’s exciting. There are one or two boring races every now and then but I think it is so good. I think the sport’s still growing massively.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

WATCH THIS STORY: Lando Norris’ Apology Accepted: Max Verstappen’s GF Extends Special Invitation

The teams undoubtedly evaluate their strategy for dealing with the Mad Max storm throughout the summer break. As for this season, it’s probably impossible to take Verstappen and co down purely on the basis of skill.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Aditya Srivastava

738Articles

One take at a time

Aditya Srivastava is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports with over two years of writing experience. He developed a keen interest in the sport after the unforgettable Abu Dhabi 2021 race. As a graduate of a premier institute, Aditya is committed to producing high-quality content that is engaging, informative, and accurate.
Show More>

Edited by:

Akash Pandhare