With Lando Norris having likely seen his 2024 Formula 1 title hopes dashed after a disappointing race in Brazil, McLaren’s attention has shifted to the Constructors’ Championship. While Max Verstappen seems poised for his fourth World Championship, Norris is adamant that Ferrari, not Red Bull, is the team McLaren should focus on as the season enters its critical final stretch.
Max Verstappen’s Dominance and the Title Race
In Brazil, Max Verstappen’s incredible performance from 17th on the grid secured a victory, extending his lead to 62 points over Norris with only three races remaining. With a top-two finish in Las Vegas, Verstappen will clinch his fourth Drivers’ Championship. However, for McLaren, the battle is far from over, as they continue to fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
With Red Bull in the lead, McLaren sits just 36 points ahead of Ferrari, making their fight with the Italian team the focus for the remaining races. Despite Verstappen’s dominance, Norris is more concerned with Ferrari than Red Bull as he assesses McLaren’s strategy for the season finale.
Lando Norris Plays Down Red Bull’s Threat
Speaking to Sky F1 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Norris firmly stated that Red Bull is not the main threat to McLaren in the Constructors’ standings. Instead, he believes that Ferrari is their biggest rival.
“After Miami, I already said back then our challenge is not with Red Bull, it’s with Ferrari,” Norris explained. “I’ve said it many times since, and it was very clear for a long time that Ferrari were going to be our biggest contenders over Red Bull.”
McLaren’s Focus on Ferrari, Not Red Bull
Norris made it clear that McLaren’s strategy is about executing their own potential, rather than worrying about the competition. His approach emphasizes that focusing on Red Bull would be counterproductive.
“There’s almost no focus on Red Bull. There’s focus on executing our own programme, executing our own potential, the rest should take care of itself,” Norris added. He also stressed that the constant discussions about other teams don’t help McLaren’s cause:
“What can you do? How can focusing on a team change anything? It doesn’t. It’s just chat that people like to come up with and think about and envision.”
The Ferrari Challenge
Norris highlighted that while Ferrari has been improving throughout the season, McLaren’s primary concern is finishing ahead of them in the final races. The rivalry with Ferrari has intensified, and Norris is fully aware of the pressure that comes with it.
“We knew our biggest competitor was going to be Ferrari for a long time, and it’s getting closer and closer to being them just against us,” he stated, referring to McLaren’s growing rivalry with Ferrari. The final three races, including the Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, will be critical in determining who finishes second in the Constructors’ Championship.
High Stakes for McLaren
Norris acknowledged the stakes are incredibly high for McLaren, who cannot afford any mistakes at this point. With the gap to Ferrari tight, even a small mistake could cost them their second-place finish in the Constructors’ standings.
“It also puts us under pressure. We can’t afford a one-point mistake now and at the end of the year, that could be all it takes.” Norris said, underscoring the tense atmosphere as McLaren heads into the final leg of the 2024 season.
Key Takeaways
- Max Verstappen leads Lando Norris by 62 points, with the chance to clinch his fourth World Championship in Las Vegas.
- Lando Norris has downplayed Red Bull as a threat and instead focused on Ferrari as McLaren’s biggest challenger for the Constructors’ Championship.
- The rivalry with Ferrari intensifies as McLaren battles for second place in the standings.
- McLaren faces pressure to execute flawlessly in the final three races, with Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi crucial for their Constructors’ ambitions.
As the season reaches its conclusion, Lando Norris and McLaren are determined to finish strong, but with Ferrari closing in, the next few races will be make-or-break for their aspirations in the 2024 F1 Constructors’ Championship.
