"This is what I've got to do, this is what I need, this is what we need to do as a team," Norris expressed his confidence in chasing down Max Verstappen in the 2024 Formula 1 title race.
- Hello @Stratastic
- Sep 25, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 8

Lando Norris expressed his confidence in chasing down Max Verstappen in the 2024 Formula 1 title race following his impressive win at the Singapore Grand Prix. With a dominant performance for McLaren, Norris managed to cut down Verstappen's lead in the Drivers' Championship to 52 points, setting the stage for an exciting battle in the remaining six rounds of the season.
Reflecting on his victory, Norris highlighted the importance of maintaining the exceptional form that propelled him to success in Singapore. He emphasized that if McLaren can sustain their performance levels, closing the gap to the Red Bull driver is within reach.
By outclassing Verstappen by over 20 seconds at the Marina Bay Circuit, Norris showcased his skill and determination to challenge for the championship title. The intense competition between the two drivers has added a thrilling dynamic to the season.
As the season takes a brief hiatus before the final stretch, anticipation is building for the upcoming rounds, which will include three Sprint weekends starting from the United States Grand Prix on October 18-20. The battle for supremacy in the world of Formula 1 is set to intensify, with Norris poised to make a strong push towards closing the gap on Verstappen and securing his place among the elite.
"This is what I've got to do, this is what I need, this is what we need to do as a team,"
Norris mentioned during an interview with Sky Sports F1.
"We've executed things perfectly as a team, especially to get Oscar into P3.3
"But we need to do it at every race until the end of the year if I want to have a chance to get Max.
"We're working hard and if I keep doing what I've done this weekend, then it's definitely possible."
Norris is optimistic that the title fight will remain undecided until the last moment.
To close the gap with Verstappen, Norris must decrease the deficit by an average of 8.66 points per race weekend. With a total of 180 points up for grabs in the remaining six Grand Prix races (including an extra point for the fastest lap) and three Sprint events, the task is challenging but not impossible.
The season's finale in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for December 6-8, does not include a Sprint race. Therefore, Norris must stay within 26 points of Verstappen to keep his chances alive for a potential comeback.
When asked if he foresees the battle going down to the wire, Norris responded positively. "I hope so. I still have a lot of points I've got to catch up and it's not going to be easy to do it.
"It's against Red Bull and it's against Max, the most dominant pairing you've ever seen in Formula 1, from last year.
"And that's not necessarily changed in terms of… It's the same team and it's the same driver. So, I have some of the toughest competition that Formula 1 has ever seen in the sport.
"We are doing a better job as a team right now because my car and our car is quicker than theirs. But that's just credit to the team doing an amazing job and being smarter and doing cooler things and creating mini-DRS flaps and stuff.
"I'm working my heart out, I'm working my butt off, to try and make sure that happens. He's trying to make sure it doesn't happen. So we'll have to wait and find out."
Andrea Stella, the team principal of McLaren, emphasized that Max still has control of the title, but mentioned that the team could feel "encouraged and even more optimistic" about Norris' chances following the Singapore Grand Prix.
McLaren's impressive performance in Singapore, where Oscar Piastri achieved a double-podium finish for the team, widened their lead over Red Bull in the constructors' championship to 41 points.
"It's definitely not in our hands because it's still in Max's hands," Stella remarked.
"Likewise, the Constructors' Championship, that's more in our hands, in fairness.
"I think we go away potentially encouraged and even more optimistic that the Drivers' Championship is possible because of the performance of the car."
Regarding the rest of the season, Stella mentioned that if the MCL38 remains the quickest car on the circuit, the team's primary objective would be to secure finishes where both Norris and Piastri are ahead of Verstappen.
Stella said. "You just have to go to the next race and maximise the Sprint, and maximise the main race, making sure that both drivers finish ahead of Max,"
"And then if we are in condition to bring some upgrades, then this mission will become even easier.
"We need to recognise that if we maximise the potential of the car now




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