The Canadian GP marked a major setback for McLaren, and especially for the British driver, who now trails teammate Oscar Piastri by 22 points. Norris himself recently acknowledged the need to reduce errors, aware that they could prove costly in the fight for the championship.
The McLaren driver said: “I can’t afford to make some of the mistakes I’ve made so far. I know that. I just want to make as few mistakes as possible. It’s not about whether I can afford to make more or fewer—it’s simply about improving what I’ve done so far.”
The contact with his teammate, which occurred just a few laps from the end of the race, led to a rare situation this season: no McLaren on the podium. It was a notable absence in a campaign where the team has been technically dominant. Norris is no stranger to such episodes and has already made several errors, especially in qualifying, throughout the season.
He added: “I’ve made more mistakes and fallen behind. That’s clear. It’s a very close battle between us. Oscar has definitely been a bit more comfortable than me this season, and that’s just how it is. The team needs to give me a car and the tools to unlock that potential, but it’s also my responsibility to drive whatever car I’m given. It’s been tough, and Oscar has done a great job. It’s been exciting to see how close we’ve been.”
“It’s more about trying to find a better feeling than getting more performance out of the car,” he said. “But hopefully, a better feeling can help improve performance as well. It’s another weekend to judge and figure things out, on a more normal track compared to Canada.”
Continuing the interview, Lando Norris denied being concerned about the current difficulties, expressing confidence that he is still fully in the fight for the F1 title with McLaren. “The season is still very long, so I’m not worried about anything,” he said. “But of course, I know it’s never a good thing to lose points, no matter the race. Obviously, last time I was the only one to lose points and I paid the price for misjudging the situation.”
The British driver also admitted that he struggled emotionally after the incident and that it took him a few days to get over it. The fact that the crash involved his own teammate made the situation even harder to accept, but he believes the episode ultimately strengthened their relationship.
“It’s a good example for us as a team,” he concluded. “It’s also thanks to the trust and honesty that Oscar and I have with each other. I immediately made it clear that I misjudged the situation and took responsibility. So yes, they weren’t the most pleasant conversations, but they were necessary and had to be had.”
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