On the eve of the resumption of his championship battle with Oscar Piastri this weekend, Lando Norris is having none of the chatter suggesting his fierce title fight with his McLaren teammate is down to a sprinkle of good fortune.
The Briton arrives at Zandvoort just nine points behind Piastri after winning three of the last four races, including a bold one-stop victory in Hungary.
While some pundits – including former driver Jolyon Palmer – have argued that Piastri’s lead should be far greater were it not for ill-timed setbacks, Norris is adamant his own form is no accident.
Not Luck, but Hard Work
“I mean I did roll the dice, yes. I’ve certainly had a little bit of luck,” Norris admitted when asked about his run of form and Palmer’s comments.
“I’ve also been unlucky but that’s life. I can’t choose those things. I am lucky that I have been with McLaren for the last seven years. I could not be with McLaren as well for the last five years.”
Yet, Norris insists it’s not just about chance. His growth as a driver, combined with tireless collaboration with his McLaren team, has been the real engine behind his success.
“I’ve made good decisions I like to believe and I back myself to make good decisions along the way and this year. I’ve improved as a driver this year,” he added.
“I’ve had a car which I’ve found a lot trickier to drive just as much as everyone complains when they have a car which doesn’t suit them or drive as well as they’d like. I had that a little bit at the beginning and made some good steps forward, have some good races.”
Norris pointed to his triumph in Hungary as a testament to his and his team’s dedication, not a bout of good fortune.
“I wouldn’t have won in Budapest if I didn’t improve on those myself and that wasn’t luck,” he said.
“That’s hard work, a lot of dedication with my engineers and my team – both at the track and away from it. I would say I’ve had a little bit of luck here and there but everyone needs a little bit in their life but so has every single driver at some races here and there.
“I have also made good decisions, kept myself out of trouble, stuck by the rules. All of those things are part of being a racing driver. At times, they’ve given me points so that’s also down to me doing a good job at times.”
Admitting to Missed Opportunities
Despite his growing momentum, Norris also acknowledged mistakes that have cost him valuable points.
“I mean could I have at times made maybe better decisions? I think so. If I had that thought a little bit more at the time,” he said.
“Probably the main one was China sprint qualifying. I think my lap was good enough for pole until the final hairpin where I locked up. If I had that thought just before the braking [zone]. I lost eight points there.
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“If I go back to Canada , if I could re-run that and just be a little bit smarter and not take as much risk, could I have not lost quite a few points there?
“Yes. I wouldn’t say I regret those moments. Do I wish it changed? Do I wish it was better? Do I wish I could do it again? Yes but at the same time I don’t regret making those decisions at the time because I think that’s me. That’s life and that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
As Formula 1 returns from its summer break, Norris heads into the Dutch Grand Prix carrying both confidence and humility.
He has momentum, he has self-belief – and crucially, he has no time for the suggestion that luck alone is keeping him in the fight.
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