Lando Norris says that McLaren’s sluggish begin to 2024 gave Max Verstappen a comparatively simple season, however that the Dutchman drove completely to win a fourth drivers’ championship.
Verstappen completed fifth within the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which was sufficient to safe a fourth consecutive title. Norris says Verstappen has taken benefit of each alternative this 12 months, whether or not the Pink Bull has been race-winning equipment or not.
“Huge congrats to him, he’s deserved it,” Norris mentioned. “He’s not put a foot mistaken, actually, the entire 12 months. In order that’s energy of his, he has no unhealthy [races], he has no downsides, he has no negatives.
“When he’s had the quickest automobile, he dominated races. When he’s not within the quickest automobile, he’s nonetheless been simply behind us and virtually profitable the races anyway. So he’s simply not had a nasty aspect to him. He’s not had any unhealthy races the entire 12 months. His worst was like a fifth or one thing. He simply drove as Max has at all times pushed, which is completely. Can’t fault him wherever.”
Nevertheless, Norris believes Pink Bull and Verstappen have been proven to be fallible as soon as McLaren obtained in control, however rued the opening few rounds when he didn’t have a automobile able to preventing for victories.
“A few of it’s expertise,” he mentioned. “I believe he’s nonetheless had a comparatively simple season. I believe if we had a greater automobile initially of the 12 months, we’d have been preventing him much more, and he would have been much more below strain than he’s ever been.
“I believe we put him below strain. As quickly as we did, he made errors, and it confirmed. The crew made errors. He made some errors, however over the course of the season, that’s only a few when it comes to what he’s completed, and that’s what makes him so good.
“He’s not had a nasty qualifying. He’s not had a nasty race. I believe his worst race was in all probability what Budapest or one thing? And he nonetheless completed what, fifth? So he simply will get every part out of the automobile each time. And that’s at all times spectacular to see. At all times issues to study.”
