Lando Norris revealed his defeat in Brazil left him “depressed for a week” and he realized that “the doors were almost closed” on his dream of winning the Formula 1 title this year.
Norris heads into this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix with an almost insurmountable task to win the title as he sits 62 points behind Max Verstappen. The Dutchman just needs to keep 60 after this race to be titled. If not in Vegas, it will be in Qatar, barring huge consecutive blows for the Red Bull driver (retirements and/or accidents).
The Briton suffered a major blow to his championship ambitions in Brazil as he fell from pole position to sixth as Verstappen won from 17th on the grid.
Norris had managed to close the gap to 44 points with a victory in the previous Sprint race, but his latest setback all but ensured Verstappen retained his crown.
“Not much has changed, honestly since the end of the race in Brazil. It hurt me. I kind of know what position I'm in now. I have less to lose now.”
“The gap with Max is for the first time…probably when I looked at the gap myself, and kind of realized where things are.”
“I think post-Brazil was a difficult period for me, because it was the first moment, realistically, where I thought it was difficult to reach the top spot now.”
“We were in very good shape. Little by little, you know, it's difficult to get big points back from Max, because he didn't have bad races.”
“It was a tough week of depression because things didn't go the way we wanted. It was tricky, but that doesn't change my approach. My approach has been correct. My approach has been the right approach over the last few years. weekends.”
“I performed well, I did a good job. So, from my side, I didn't change anything, but I think I can probably enjoy it a little bit more.”
Why depression?
“I think what made Brazil difficult was two things. One was something like that happening so late in the season. I think when it's earlier in the season, it's is less important and we see what happens later.”
“It was almost a decisive moment for the championship. In fact, it was a decisive moment for the championship. The doors are almost closed. For a week, I was quite depressed so. Because I had realized that the Things were pretty much out of my control now. Not necessarily within reach.”
“It's a difficult realization when the hopes and belief are so high. To be pushed around like that all at once was pretty demoralizing.”
“It's not the best feeling, but you learn to accept that it's life. I admit it, even in Miami. I was lucky in Miami to win with a safety car, but This was the strategy to adopt.”
“Brazil was still a little luckier for Max with the red flag and the tires changed for free. It's Formula 1. It's racing, I'm not complaining.”
“Luck can be on your side, it can be on other people's side. That's life. It doesn't bother me. One day it will go your way, the next day it won't.”
