The “new” Lando Norris remains fully focused on his championship goal. At Interlagos, the British driver left journalists speechless during the press conference with a cold and decisive reply. In recent races, Lando Norris has shown a more detached and composed attitude both in front of the media and over team radio, refusing to see himself as the “favorite” for the title. With Max Verstappen still lurking and teammate Oscar Piastri trailing by just 24 points, the battle is far from over.
Norris’ demeanor throughout the Interlagos weekend did not go unnoticed. From Thursday onwards, the McLaren driver avoided any questions about the World Championship, offering short and at times seemingly curt answers. Yet, such behavior is entirely understandable. Norris has often been described as “fragile” or overly emotional, and in such a crucial phase of the season, it is only natural that he would change his approach.
The strategy is clear: to avoid any unnecessary pressure. So, when someone in the press conference — held right after his second consecutive win — suggested that he should “embrace the role of favorite,” Lando stayed calm and froze the room with his reply: “Why should I? You have the right to your opinion about what I should say or do, but I’ll keep saying whatever I want.”
Norris: “Las Vegas is a tough track, last year we were behind”
“I always try to be as honest as possible,” explained Lando Norris. “If I think we won’t be fast [in Las Vegas], then that’s what I think. I’m not saying we’ll finish tenth, I’m just saying it’ll be hard to win. Last year we were far off the pace. There have been many races this season where we haven’t been quick enough. It’s not like we’ve won every single one, so you can’t expect me to always say certain things.”
“Last weekend I won with a 30-second lead — that was easy. Today, I had to push much harder, and I won by only 10 seconds. Max was probably the fastest driver on track. So why should I think that things will automatically go well [in Las Vegas]? Maybe I’ll win, we’ll see, but I’m not going to lie and claim it’ll be an easy weekend. You’re entitled to your opinion about what I should or shouldn’t say, but I’ll keep saying whatever I want.”
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