Mclaren driver Lando Norris believes he “fought hard” in the battle for P1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as Max Verstappen held off a late charge from the British driver to take P1.
This could have been the British driver’s second race win in a row, after his first win at the Miami Grand Prix.
Speaking to Sky after the race, Norris said, “It hurts me to say but one or two more laps, I think I would have had him. Tough. A shame.
“I fought hard right until the very last lap, but just lost out a little bit too much to Max in the beginning. He was much better in the first stint.”
“In the second stint, we were stronger.”
After Leclerc made an error at the Variante Alta on Lap 47, Norris began to close in on Verstappen. However, it was the gap between the two in the first half of the race that cost the Mclaren driver from the win this weekend.
“It was a tough first half and a much better second half and one or two more laps and it would have been beautiful, but just not today.“
Despite this, Norris is feeling positive about future races. He shared, “I think we’re at the point now where we can happily say we are in the position of Ferrari and Red Bull.
“So it’s what we have to get used to. But we are all doing a very good job and it’s business as usual.”
“It’s focusing on doing the same things, it’s just we are fighting for first or second now. It’s still a surprise to say it’s frustrating not to win but after last weekend and the improvements we’ve made it’s what we should start to expect.”
McLaren’s upgrades are in full effect. Will we see them in the fight for a podium and win in Monaco?
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