Lando Norris wants to advance Max Verstappen at the exit of the Miami Grand Prix of Formula 1, but does not expect the Suzuka career of April to be repeated if it cannot pass it in curve one.
The British was placed in the shadow by Verstappen in the classification, since a failed entrance in curve 17 complicated his final lap to overcome the advantage of the Red Bull driver, which was largely worked in the initial sector.
Norris declared after the classification that he was “ready to see what he could do in curve 1”; Although it comes out from the second position, this potentially gives the interior line for the opening curve.
He added that the three DRS zones and the highest concentration of strong braking areas should ensure that overtaking opportunities are more frequent, comparing it with their difficulties to advance Verstappen in Suzuka in a career characterized by low degradation and few overtaking maneuvers.
“The DRS helps a lot here with the overtaking. It is what you need. You also have some braking areas much larger than in Suzuka, so I hope it will be that way,” Norris explained, which ended second after Verstappen in Japan.
“I hope it is so and we can make a good career tomorrow. But I not only expect Max’s competition. Kimi (Antonelli) has been fast all weekend and Oscar (Piastri) too. So yes, I wait for a hard race by everyone.”
Lando Norris, McLaren
Foto: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
In a more positive perspective in Norris during the weekend of Miami, after a couple of difficult races in Baréin and Yeda, he said he ended up animated in the classification despite losing the pole against Verstappen.
Norris spent time at the McLaren simulator before the weekend, and felt he was happy with the progress he had been doing to feel more comfortable with the MCL39 – who has declared numerous occasions that he is largely in disagreement with his preferred driving style.
“I am very happy with the final result. It is a shame not to have achieved pole, so that is the only frustrating.”
“But I think I’ve been trying different things, I’ve been doing different things with the team to try to work a little more in this area and things have taken a step forward.”
“So I’m happy. Maybe not quite, but happy with progress.”
