Lando Norris was delighted after beating Max Verstappen to secure victory at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday.
But the McLaren star insisted it wasn’t ‘perfect’ because he continued his streak of losing pole on lap one during the big event in the Netherlands.
Norris had gone into the race looking for his second victory of the season, having previously reigned supreme in Miami earlier in the season.
And he did exactly that, dominating proceedings to boost his chances of winning the Formula One title.
Lando Norris was delighted after beating Max Verstappen to secure victory at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday
REUTERS
Speaking after the race, Norris said was pleased after adding another victory to his name.
But he also referred to earlier in the race, when he was overtaken, having initially started the day on pole.
“It feels amazing. I wouldn’t say a perfect race because of lap one again, but it was still beautiful,” he said.
“The pace was strong, the car was unbelievable.
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“I could push and get past Max. It was a straightforward race. Tough but enjoyable.”
When asked when he first sensed that he’d be able to win, Norris admitted: “From quite early on, from lap six or seven, I expected Max to start pushing and open up a gap and he never did.
“From that point I felt we were in the fight. He seemed to keep dropping off and my pace was getting better.
“I could get comfortable and push.”
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McLaren CEO Zak Brown said that, contrary to Norris’ comments, that the 24-year-old drove ‘perfectly’.
And he also expressed a belief that the win was a ‘big one’ as they look to secure glory come the end of the campaign.
“It was pretty awesome. Lando drove perfectly and the team did a great job,” he said.
“It was a big win, the fastest lap as well, so we will celebrate tonight and get ready for Monza.”
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Lando Norris has now closed the gap on Max Verstappen at the top of the F1 standings following his win at the Dutch Grand Prix
REUTERS
He continued: “We knew we were fast all weekend, so I am not shocked at the size of the gap, just pleasantly surprised. Lando definitely controlled the race.
“The upgrades clearly worked but we need to keep our feet on the ground with how competitive Formula 1 is and not assume that is going to be repeated every weekend.
“We clearly have a fast car and have some fun stuff coming for Monza, so I think we will be ready.
“But I think Red Bull will be quick there.”
Lando Norris is on top of the world following his win at the Dutch Grand Prix
REUTERS
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, meanwhile, said that the victory exceeded expectations.
“It’s beyond expectations,” he stated. “We knew the car was performing well but today was a positive surprise in terms of how fast it was.
“It’s great that Lando could capitalise with a dominant victory. It’s a bit of a shame with Oscar [Piastri] that he got stuck in traffic.
“He deserved a podium today and could have attacked Verstappen. This didn’t materialise but it’s very promising for future races.”