McLaren sparks title race intensity: Norris triumphs over Verstappen
McLaren's Lando Norris rectifies title chase against Verstappen.
McLaren team principal Zak Brown has affirmed his belief in Lando Norris's capabilities to bridge the gap with Max Verstappen's formidable lead, signaling a potential championship showdown for the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Norris outpaced Verstappen by a remarkable 22 seconds at the Dutch Grand Prix, a margin surpassing any of Verstappen's commanding victories earlier this season.
This triumph has sliced Verstappen's championship lead to 70 points with nine races remaining, placing McLaren as strong contenders for every forthcoming race.
"That was a good day at the office," Brown conveyed to SiriusXM. "An impressive performance by everybody. Lando was perfect, team strategy, pace of the car."
Brown further added, "I thought we had great pace, 23 seconds or whatever it was, no I didn't think it was going to be that, but that was great to see. Yeah we've thought for a few races ... but it's going to take a while. We've got to keep doing what we're doing, and it's going to be tight. But it's game on."
Despite the points advantage, Verstappen's lead allows him the buffer to encounter non-finishes in the next two races and still maintain an 18-point lead, with Norris having the potential to accrue a maximum of 26 points per weekend.
Post-Zandvoort, Norris himself acknowledged the need for pragmatism within McLaren, stating it would be "stupid" to become overly optimistic following a single victory. Nevertheless, he reinforced his view of seeing himself as a genuine championship contender throughout the season.
The victory at the Netherlands marks Norris's second win in Formula 1, complementing his triumph at the Miami Grand Prix in May, and breaks a streak of missed opportunities in recent months.
Conversely, Verstappen, who dominated four out of the season's initial five races, has not clinched a win since the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23—five races ago.
This stretch signifies Verstappen's lengthiest winless period since the 2020 season, adding an intriguing layer to the unfolding title race narrative.
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