After winning the sprint race and securing his seventh pole position of the 2024 Formula 1 season on Saturday, everyone expected Lando Norris to dominate the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. However, the torrential rain at the Interlagos circuit shuffled the deck.
Following yet another lost lead on the first lap, the Brit was stuck behind George Russell until the red flag, while Max Verstappen, who started from seventeenth position, played a winning strategy by staying out and managing to change tires after moving up to second.
The Dutchman then delivered a masterclass after the restart, pulling away immediately and finishing with nearly a twenty-second lead over second-place finisher Ocon. Norris, however, made another costly mistake in Turn 1, losing two positions and ending the race in sixth place.
It was a dramatic ending for the British driver, whose title chances are now slim after the setback. With three races remaining, there are still 63 points separating the two contenders, with Max Verstappen having his first chance to clinch the title in the upcoming race in Las Vegas.
A Norris Too Prone to Mistakes
“Lando hasn’t reached that level yet,” Eddie Jordan declared on the Formula For Success podcast, commenting on Lando Norris’s latest error.
“He’s not at that level yet from the start or from pole to the first corner. He has the speed, without a doubt. But there’s nothing in me that makes me say I saw something in Lando on Sunday that I’ve seen Max do—nothing. I’m sorry, but it’s not there. Lando needs to look long and hard in the mirror this winter and say to himself: ‘If I want to be a great world champion, I have a lot to learn here, and I need to start reviewing those videos on what it truly means to be tough, resilient, and victorious.’ And I’m sorry he hasn’t realized that yet.” – he pointed out.
The Irish businessman added: “It’s a fact. He hasn’t converted poles into wins. He’s messed up on the podium. He’s made mistakes on the starting grid. Honestly, how many races should he have won this year?” – Eddie Jordan concluded.
Leave a Reply