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 received 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 successful margin of his profession to date, Norris says he’s most happy with how he carried out throughout everything of the weekend.
“I feel it is the one the place I simply carried out the very best,” Norris mentioned. “I do not know, dominant or not, but it surely’s the one the place I feel I’ve simply carried out greatest all through, from FP2 all the best way to the tip of the race. In a means, I feel it is simply my greatest efficiency by a complete weekend – all my laps in qualifying, all my follow, all my race.
“The automotive is simply fast; it has been the entire season, however clearly it is nonetheless tough to drive at instances. I feel while you simply discover that candy spot, it may be down the street and make your life a bit simpler. I do not know [why]. It is onerous 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 simplest reply.”
Norris was 34 factors behind Piastri after retiring from second place in Zandvoort after the summer season 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 overlook about that as a lot as you may, and also you simply give attention to each race developing. You overlook about each earlier weekend. After all you attempt to be taught from each state of affairs, however each weekend’s new and you’ve got a recent begin to strive new issues and attempt to do higher than earlier than. I really feel like that is what I’ve accomplished very nicely this weekend.
“The previous couple of have been first rate. This has simply been my greatest efficiency, however nonetheless a protracted technique to go, so I simply must maintain doing what I am doing, maintain making an attempt to be constant in opposition to some very fast guys round me.
“I feel that’ll be good, but it surely doesn’t suggest as a result of I am forward or behind or no matter that I’ve to drive or do something otherwise – simply maintain doing what I am doing.”
Regardless of taking the championship lead, Norris additionally warns that Max Verstappen has outscored each McLaren drivers because the summer season break, having closed to inside 36 factors of the lead with third place in Mexico.
“It is one weekend at a time. I am completely happy,” he mentioned. “I am centered 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 completely happy.
“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 centered, doing my very own factor and that is all you are able to do. Each weekend is new, each weekend is totally different, and it is a lengthy technique to go.”
