F1 is a sport where even the tiniest of the mistakes can amount to catastrophic results. Seems like Lando Norris knows better than anyone, among the young drivers on the grid. Despite finishing in the top four in back-to-back sprint races, a haunting memory of the past seems to loom on his head. Find out why Norris remains unsatisfied, after the US GP sprint.

Despite finishing fourth at the United States Grand Prix sprint, on a track where the MCL60 is arguably the third or fourth fastest. Lando Norris made his frustrations quite clear, as he has acknowledged his mistakes. But is he showcasing that a past wound has still not healed for the McLaren driver?

Lando Norris’ US GP: An unforgettable journey of triumph and trauma in sprint

Lando Norris started in fourth place and unfortunately finished the 19-lap sprint at the same place. With soft tires pitted, Carlos Sainz managed to punish his former teammate by overtaking him on lap 1. But thanks to the medium compound tires of Norris, he managed to take back his place eventually. However, it was Norris’s performance in the last few laps that really caught everyone by surprise. The British driver closed the gap between him and third-place Charles Leclerc, with Norris less than a second behind. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be at the sprint.

Despite his valiant effort and superb charge towards the end of the race, Lando remained quite frustrated with himself. And rightfully so. Had it not been for the mistake early where Sainz overtook him, Norris could have perhaps overtaken Leclerc towards the end of the race and sat on the podium or even the pole, while simultaneously earning valuable points for his team, as every point counts in F1. Especially when against Mercedes and Ferrari.

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After the sprint, a frustrated Norris added, “My pace… I’ve been great all the time. My frustrations is… my mistakes cost me pole positions, and winning a race. I’ve never been satisfied with doing a bad job. I can cope with it and I do it for my benefit.” His remarks highlight his frustration, as rightfully so, over the course of a season, making too many mistakes can be quite punishing. Moreover, with him having such a good pace, we could have seen a Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris battle for the win. This would be quite fascinating, especially considering rumors regarding the team switch for the British driver.

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However, this remark from Norris also reflects that the deep wound left by the 2021 Russian Grand Prix has still not healed. It was a painful race for him where he defended like an absolute warrior, only for him to lose his first win in F1 due to a pit stop gamble. With teams like Mercedes and Red Bull being so dominant over the course of the past two decades, it’s not quite often that a McLaren is a race winner.

Can Norris finally get his first win?

The question that remains in everyone’s mind is if Norris can finally get his first win in F1. With Charles Leclerc at pole and a determined Lewis Hamilton behind at third, it’s difficult to answer. However, if there’s anyone besides Sergio Perez who desperately needs a race win, it’s Norris. Not only will a win at the COTA will help McLaren charge at Mercedes and Ferrari with full force. But will also help Norris finally forgive himself and let his wound from the heartbreak of Sochi heal.

Moreover, the added confidence from achieving a race win can potentially motivate the British driver to end the current F1 season on a high note. With strong pace on his side, there’s a high probability that Norris can win. However, tire degradation and, most importantly, Norris not making mistakes will end up being the most important factor.

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Do you think that Norris can finally get his first win in F1 at COTA? Share your thoughts in the comments below.