Lando Norris leads F1 standings by 24 points but vows to maintain aggressive racing style rather than protect his championship advantage.
LAS VEGAS: McLaren driver Lando Norris insists he will maintain his “flat-out” approach despite holding a commanding lead in the Formula 1 world championship standings.
The British driver currently leads teammate Oscar Piastri by 24 points and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 49 with just 83 points remaining this season.
Norris could mathematically secure his first title by finishing second to Piastri in all three remaining races, beginning with this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
“What has served me so well recently is by going flat-out, staying out of trouble and the chaos behind,” Norris stated.
The 26-year-old emphasised that protecting his championship lead would be the wrong mindset heading into the final races.
“I come here to win. I’ll go to the next race in Qatar to win. I will still treat it as if I’m not in a championship and that’s the mentality I’ll have,” he added.
Norris has transformed his season after trailing Piastri by 34 points following an engine failure at the Dutch Grand Prix in late August.
He arrives in Las Vegas as the grid’s form driver with consecutive victories from pole position in Mexico and Brazil.
“I’m also more positive and less negative about when I have bad days and bad sessions,” Norris explained regarding his improved mindset.
Verstappen, chasing a fifth consecutive title to match Michael Schumacher’s record, acknowledged his fading championship hopes.
“I am a long way behind, and there is not a lot I can do,” the Red Bull driver admitted.
“We need a lot of luck until the end, so personally I am not thinking about it too much,” Verstappen concluded. – Bernama-PA Media/dpa
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