Norris Admits Verstappen 'Was Easily Quicker' And 'Would Have Come Through Anyway'
F1
Lando Norris suggested Max Verstappen would most likely have won the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix even without the help of a red flag.
Red Bull Racing F1 driver Max Verstappen showed one of the best performances in his career at the 21st round of the season in Brazil, where he won the race more than 19 seconds ahead of everyone after starting from P17.
His main Championship rival, Lando Norris, started the Grand Prix from pole position and was in contention for the victory. However, he pitted shortly before the red flag, which came on lap 32, and he lost three positions to Esteban Ocon, Verstappen, and Pierre Gasly.
These three drivers bet on the red flag, and it paid off for them. Speaking to the media after the Grand Prix, Norris said about his decision to box for new tires before the red flag:
"It was the right time to box…it was the right thing. So no regrets, just unlucky."
The red flag allowed the three drivers in front to change their tires before the restart, which meant they didn't have to lose any time by pitting. Norris continued:
"It's a silly rule (that allows drivers to change tires during red flag) that no one agrees with, but you'll always agree with it when it benefits you, you know. So, every driver has said they don't agree with it and want it changed."
"So it's just unfortunate, but it's the rule. You win some, you lose some it benefitted them today. So, well done to them."
While Norris suggested he made no mistake by going to change his tires and that other drivers got a bit lucky, he stated that he believed Max Verstappen was so fast that he would have won the Grand Prix either way.
"I did all I could today. That's all. Max won the race. Good on him, well done, but it doesn't change anything for me."
"Max was easily quicker than us, and I think if he went from the front, he probably would have lapped us. The pace was good, I think, similar to George, but the Red Bull was very fast today."
It's been an up-and-down weekend, for sure. Not a lot more I could do. I probably finished third, realistically, so it's tough."
"Max probably would have come through anyway and probably beaten us, but, yeah, just unlucky for us. Nothing more than that. I made a couple of mistakes, which I own up to, and cost me a couple of positions in the end, but that's it."
The Red Bull Racing F1 driver won the race and put in the fastest lap, which means he extends his lead in the Drivers' Championship to 62 points with only three race weekends to go.
This means that Verstappen can seal his Championship title already during the upcoming race weekend in Las Vegas.
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