F1 News: Lando Norris Reflects On Austin GP Podium - "Just Couldn't Do It"
At the United States Grand Prix, Lando Norris led the pack for an extended period but ultimately secured the third spot on the podium.
Key Takeaways:
- Lando Norris maintained his lead for a significant portion of the Austin GP, highlighting his ability to control the race, yet acknowledged that tyre degradation played a pivotal role in affecting his race outcome.
- In the race's latter stages, Norris found himself locking horns with Lewis Hamilton for the coveted second spot, which he eventually lost due to tyre wear.
- Despite the challenges, Norris and his McLaren team surpassed their initial expectations, securing a podium finish, emphasising the team's collective effort and progress.
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The Circuit of the Americas witnessed Lando Norris' commendable drive, with the McLaren ace leading the US Grand Prix for a considerable duration. But as the race progressed, the challenges mounted, and Norris had to be content with a third-place finish. Offering his thoughts, Norris stated:
"Leading the race, I controlled it a lot, just not enough today. But I'm happy. It was a good race from my side. We knew our struggles, we knew what was going to be difficult today, and it was just degradation. The pace over the first laps of every stint."
As the race neared its end, the British driver found himself vying for the second spot with seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton. Norris' relentless spirit was evident, but the race circumstances weren't in his favour.
"I just tried, but I just couldn't do it. I didn't have enough tyres left at the end. You saw how quickly he pulled away at the end. I also had to look after my own race. Maybe if it was a cooler track it would have suited us a little bit more, but it wasn't," Norris explained.
However, instead of focusing on the 'what ifs', Norris opted to accentuate the positives.
"I'm still happy. The team have done an excellent job. To finish on the podium here was better than we expected coming into the weekend."
