Lando Norris says that McLaren’s gradual begin to 2024 gave Max Verstappen a comparatively straightforward 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 yr, whether or not the Pink Bull has been race-winning equipment or not.
“Large congrats to him, he’s deserved it,” Norris mentioned. “He’s not put a foot fallacious, actually, the entire yr. 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 foul aspect to him. He’s not had any unhealthy races the entire yr. 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.”
Nonetheless, Norris believes Pink Bull and Verstappen have been proven to be fallible as soon as McLaren acquired on top of things, however rued the opening few rounds when he didn’t have a automobile able to combating for victories.
“A few of it’s expertise,” he mentioned. “I feel he’s nonetheless had a comparatively straightforward season. I feel if we had a greater automobile firstly of the yr, we’d have been combating him much more, and he would have been much more below stress than he’s ever been.
“I feel we put him below stress. 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 achieved, and that’s what makes him so good.
“He’s not had a foul qualifying. He’s not had a foul race. I feel his worst race was most likely what Budapest or one thing? And he nonetheless completed what, fifth? So he simply will get all the pieces out of the automobile each time. And that’s at all times spectacular to see. All the time issues to be taught.”
