Lando Norris wanted to return to his controversial statements regarding Max Verstappen's victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Following the feat of the man who was not yet quadruple world champion at that point in the season, the British driver declared that this triumph was more a matter of luck than talent. The McLaren driver was referring here to a red flag that fell at the ideal time for the Red Bull driver.
Qualified in 17th position on the starting grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen nevertheless made a spectacular comeback in difficult conditions, taking the lead when his rivals stopped in the pits to fit new sets of intermediate tires. The race interruption then allowed him to change tires without losing time, thus sealing a victory considered one of the most impressive of his career.
This decisive success marked a real turning point in the season, the Batavian widening the gap over Lando Norris in the title race, which he won the following week in Las Vegas.
Also read: Lando Norris: “Next year will be my year”
When presenting his 2024 world vice-champion trophy, Lando Norris wanted to qualify his remarks, praising the performance of his rival and recognizing the scale of the feat achieved by his Red Bull counterpart.
“First of all, I take back that comment I made there, where I said it was luck, not talent”, said Lando Norris during the FIA awards ceremony. “You know how the media changes things.”
“But congratulations to Max [Verstappen]. What he did this year, what he did in Brazil, of course, was incredible. So I am the first to recognize such a thing even though it is me who faces it”, concluded the 2024 world vice-champion.
Read also: Three questions for Lando Norris before the final McLaren/Ferrari duel
