Lando Norris rues ‘pretty pants’ performance in Las Vegas and admits he and his McClaren team were not ‘mentally ready’ to win the World Drivers’ Championship as he congratulates rival Max Verstappen on sealing a fourth title

Lando Norris congratulated rival Max Verstappen after the Red Bull star sealed his fourth consecutive Formula One World Drivers’ Championship on Saturday night.

Norris finished fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, one place ahead of Verstappen, but that result left the 2024 leader 63 points ahead with only 60 left to play for.

Speaking to Sky Sports in Vegas, Norris said: ‘Congrats to Max, as much as it hurts a little bit, saying congrats doesn’t hurt, but knowing the championship is 100% over you always have a little hope inside.

‘He drove an incredible season and when you have the quickest car he dominated and when he didn’t he was still there and always on my heels. He made my life tough, we made his tough at times I’m sure but he drove a better season.’

Reflecting on Saturday’s contest in Vegas, Norris added: ‘The race was pretty pants, bad pace, grip, tyre management, just a poor weekend from us.’

‘I didn’t even expect to be in the title fight. I was happy with how calm I was and how focused I was, there’s definitely more pressure and more eyes, nerves and demands on me making sure I go out and don’t mess qualifying up or make a mistake in the race, stay in the race, don’t get taken out.

Max Verstappen (right) finished behind Norris but was still crowned as the world champion

‘You have to drive better when you get to that point and I feel like I have, I feel like since Zandvoort I’ve done close to a perfect job.’

Norris has won two of the last 12 races, while Verstappen has only finished first once during that period.

However, Verstappen seven of the first 10 races of 2024, while Norris only won the Miami Grand Prix during that period.

‘There are things I need to improve on as always, but I feel like I’ve done a good job, especially the second half of the season,’ McLaren ace Norris reflected.

‘The first half we were suddenly like “oh we are fighting them [Red Bull]”. I don’t think I or us as a team were mentally ready for fighting against the big boys and execute perfectly.

‘As much as we would like to believe we were ready, we weren’t and we paid the price a little bit.

‘It was also us there fighting Max and no one else. We started the season off worst of the top four teams and we ended up being the most consistent and probably the best team.

‘I’m more proud than anything else and I don’t regret anything.

Norris came sixth at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, while George Russell won Saturday’s race

Red Bull superstar Verstappen has now won four consecutive World Drivers’ Championships

‘Even if it was a perfect year on my behalf we couldn’t have won the championship this year, I think Max drove too well. 

‘Red Bull and the team did too good of a job for us and it was just lost in the first six races, the points gap is what it is now but already after six races.

‘I’m still happy it was us and we put up a good fight. I look forward to next year being there at the beginning.’

Despite Norris claiming that his team were not ready to compete with Red Bull this year, McLaren currently sit top of the 2024 Constructor Standings with two races remaining.