Lando Norris has stopped pretending. The reigning world champion admits his attempt to keep the title was a disaster. He says he cannot change the car he drives or the rules that favor his rival. Norris knows Andrea Kimi Antonelli will win the championship this weekend in Mexico. The McLaren driver says he has done everything possible to fight back but the odds were too high.
Per RaceFans, Norris stated, “I know I’ve had a pretty horrible defensive title, but there’s not much more I could have done.” He feels he drove a very strong season despite the bad result. The gap between him and the Mercedes driver is simply too wide to close with effort alone. Norris believes Antonelli earned the win and deserves the number one spot on the grid.
The car makes the difference
Norris points to the machinery as the main reason for his slump. McLaren fell to fourth place in the teams’ standings after a strong start. The team started the season far behind but managed to catch up to most rivals. However, they still lack the raw speed needed to beat the Mercedes machine. “We started a long way behind at the beginning of the season, and we’ve done a good job to catch up,” Norris told the Formula 1 Official site.
George Russell, the Mercedes driver, says the current cars hurt his specific driving style. Russell notes that high tire pressures and new power units make it hard for him to push hard. He explained that the rear tires struggle to cope with the extra stress. “So it was kind of these two factors that just really hampered my natural driving style, and I’d say that’s probably been the biggest thing of the season,” Russell said. This setup helps Antonelli more than it helps the older drivers.
Respect for the new king
Norris has zero bitterness about losing the title to a younger driver. He says Antonelli beat a very talented teammate and proved he is the best. The American racing fans should appreciate that the sport is moving forward with fresh blood. Norris says the new champion did an incredible job in just his second year. “He’s winning a world championship and he’s going to win the world championship,” said Norris. He adds that people care about the result, not how the title was won.
McLaren still faces a tough battle to stay ahead of Red Bull for third place. The team has two wins against Max Verstappen in recent races. Piastri believes staying ahead will be a big challenge. “I think for us, it’s going to be a big challenge to stay ahead of Red Bull, but we’re always up for it,” he said. The team knows they need more performance, but they are ready to fight.
McLaren will try to fix the car before the Mexico City Grand Prix. They have new parts coming that might help them close the gap. Norris says he is happy to see others succeed even if it costs him the title.