Lando Norris believes his Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix efficiency was the very best he has produced throughout a race weekend, after dominating from pole place to take the championship lead.
McLaren had not gained since Oscar Piastri’s victory at Zandvoort, however Norris delivered a formidable pole lap on Saturday after which led each lap of the race to win by over 30 seconds from Charles Leclerc. Whereas it was the most important profitable margin of his profession up to now, Norris says he’s most happy with how he carried out throughout everything of the weekend.
“I believe it is the one the place I simply carried out the very best,” Norris mentioned. “I do not know, dominant or not, however it’s the one the place I believe I’ve simply carried out finest all through, from FP2 all the best way to the top of the race. In a manner, I believe it is simply my finest efficiency by a complete weekend – all my laps in qualifying, all my apply, all my race.
“The automotive is simply fast; it has been the entire season, however clearly it is nonetheless troublesome to drive at instances. I believe if you simply discover that candy spot, it may be down the highway and make your life a bit simpler. I do not know [why]. It is exhausting to say what’s higher about mine than the others, however I’ve simply had a bit extra grip, and that is usually at all times the best reply.”
Norris was 34 factors behind Piastri after retiring from second place in Zandvoort after the summer time break, however he has outscored his teammate in every of the 5 races since to take the lead by a solitary level heading into the ultimate 4 rounds.
“It is nonetheless very clear in my head,” he mentioned. “You set [Zandvoort] behind you. Proper? You neglect about that as a lot as you possibly can, and also you simply concentrate on each race arising. You neglect about each earlier weekend. After all you attempt to be taught from each scenario, however each weekend’s new and you’ve got a contemporary begin to strive new issues and attempt to do higher than earlier than. I really feel like that is what I’ve performed very properly this weekend.
“The previous few have been respectable. This has simply been my finest efficiency, however nonetheless a protracted strategy to go, so I simply must maintain doing what I am doing, maintain attempting to be constant in opposition to some very fast guys round me.
“I believe that’ll be good, however it does not imply as a result of I am forward or behind or no matter that I’ve to drive or do something in a different way – simply maintain doing what I am doing.”
Regardless of taking the championship lead, Norris additionally warns that Max Verstappen has outscored each McLaren drivers for the reason that summer time break, having closed to inside 36 factors of the lead with third place in Mexico.
“It is one weekend at a time. I am blissful,” he mentioned. “I am targeted on myself, I maintain my head down, I ignore all of this and I maintain to myself, and it is working on the minute, so I am blissful.
“For the championship, who is aware of? It is nonetheless fairly tight between us. Max has nonetheless caught me during the last what six, seven weekends, so … I have been preserving preserving my head down, preserving targeted, doing my very own factor and that is all you are able to do. Each weekend is new, each weekend is completely different, and it is a lengthy strategy to go.”
