Lando Norris says his victory within the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was for Gil de Ferran, after profitable the previous McLaren sporting director’s residence race for the primary time.
De Ferran was at McLaren from 2018 till 2021, and once more as an advisor from 2023 till his demise on the finish of that 12 months. Norris accomplished a clear sweep of the Dash weekend with victory at Interlagos, and says de Ferran was on his thoughts whereas he was main in entrance of the Brazilian crowd.
“I did [have to work for it] – I used to be pushing,” Norris stated. “A tremendous race. Good to win right here in Brazil. It is a tremendous observe, wonderful followers, and this one was for Gil, one in every of my mentors rising up a pair years in the past. This one was for him. I am certain he’d be very proud about all of it, so I used to be pondering of that whereas we had been driving. An ideal, excellent weekend.”
Norris took most factors having began each races from pole place this weekend, however says it wasn’t a set of outcomes that had been simple to come back by.
“I have been fairly happy the entire weekend, truthfully,” he stated. “It has been an amazing day, an amazing weekend, all-in-all. I’d say difficult. It is not been fully easy. It is nonetheless been troublesome out on observe, however that makes it higher.
“I feel it was only a well-executed race – good begin, good pit stops, good technique, respectable tempo… I would not say the tempo was fairly nearly as good as what I might have preferred right now, so a number of issues to look into, however in any other case, each session that I wanted to be on high, I used to be, and that is why I flew to Brazil.”
Whereas Norris received by over 10 seconds from Kimi Antonelli, it was Max Verstappen’s efficiency – climbing by way of from the pit lane to complete proper behind Antonelli in third – that caught his eye.
“It is an amazing win, however to be trustworthy, seeing how fast Max was right now — I’m fairly disillusioned we weren’t faster,” he stated. “That’s the place my thoughts is on the minute – most likely going to see the staff, congratulate them and see the place we weren’t fast sufficient, however that’s me. We’ll see what we are able to do.
“Clearly, not an extended solution to go [in the championship], however it might probably change so rapidly, like we have seen right now already. Simply concentrate on myself, preserve my head down, ignore everybody and preserve pushing.”
