Lando Norris: Not satisfied with second, Canadian Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

McLaren's Lando Norris said his team has reached a level where "we're not satisfied with second.".

McLaren's Lando Norris showcased a commendable performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, securing a second-place finish after holding off Mercedes' George Russell. However, despite the impressive result, Norris voiced his discontent, asserting, "We're not satisfied with second."

In a gripping contest, Norris led much of the race but eventually finished 3.8 seconds behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen, while his teammate Oscar Piastri settled for fifth due to a late overtake by Lewis Hamilton.

"We should've won the race today and we didn't," Norris reflected. "Frustrating. We had the pace today, it was pretty dry at the end, and it turned out that it didn't matter too much… We didn't do a good enough job as a team."

Norris attributed the outcome to strategic errors, particularly regarding the decision to stay out longer during pit stops. "It's on me, and it's on the team, and something we'll discuss after," he continued. "The target is to win and we didn't do that."

The Briton briefly held the race advantage after overtaking Russell on Lap 22. However, a safety car triggered by Logan Sargeant disrupted the proceedings, allowing Verstappen to capitalize. Norris stayed out longer before pitting, a call that ultimately aided him in regaining an edge over Russell.

"Staying out on the intermediate tyre helped me have a chance against George," Norris said. "I overcut him, then I didn't do a good enough job afterwards and he was way quicker than us on the dry."

Despite the setback, Norris has managed to close the gap to Charles Leclerc in the drivers' championship, narrowing the difference to just seven points. Looking ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Norris remains hopeful yet cautious, especially with Mercedes' resurgence.

"I look forward to every track now because every place we seem to be performing well," he remarked. "Mercedes have improved and pretty much been the quickest car all weekend, so I think it was a positive we finished ahead of them."

As the championship continues to heat up, McLaren faces increased competition, not only from Red Bull and Ferrari but also from a rejuvenated Mercedes. "There will be eight cars which are fighting up there and challenging us," Norris noted, anticipating a thrilling battle in the forthcoming races.

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