One McLaren driver faced much more difficulty when it came to passing Max Verstappen than the other did during the Miami Grand Prix.
In fact, Lando Norris’ race was completely compromised by the reigning champion on separate occasions as he battled to find a way past.
Verstappen was clever and placed his car well, but Oscar Piastri wasted little time in getting by. He sailed into the distance after and created a big lead for McLaren.
When Norris did eventually get past, despite being the quicker driver of the three, he ran out of time to use his pace. He lost yet more ground in the drivers’ championship to his teammate.
Speaking after the race, Norris aimed a spiky comment at Verstappen and mentioned how difficult it is to get past him.
Meanwhile, Andrea Stella thought Norris made a crucial error at the start by not backing out of a move. It may have cost him victory at the Miami Grand Prix.
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Miami isn’t the first time that Norris has struggled to get past Verstappen. This time, his significant car advantage helped him get by.
In Austria last year, their intense battle boiled over and resulted in contact. The Dutchman was able to finish while the Brit was forced to retire.
Damon Hill offered some advice to Norris after the race, and picked out what he thinks he must do to match the level of Piastri and Verstappen.
“I think you’re right, I think there is something, there’s a penny that needs to drop,” he said. “I get the sense with him that when you think back to Austria was it last year? When he was fighting with Max.
“He kind of put himself in vulnerable positions and he came off worse. He makes comments like ‘I still want to win, I still want to be a nice guy.’ Well, it’s not about being nice, it’s about being effective.
“It’s about being clinical in how you deal with someone like Max. He’s not going to give it to you. Now he’s got Oscar as well and Oscar is being a little bit more… His racecraft seems to be a little bit more effective against someone like Max.”
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Why Lando Norris should be desperate for a result after the Miami Grand Prix
With the Formula 1 season now being 25% complete, there’s a fairly clear picture of the outlook of the championship.
Both McLaren drivers are favourites, the Ferraris can almost be ruled out at this stage without a dramatic turnaround, and Verstappen needs Red Bull to deliver some upgrades.
The sport returns to Europe for the first time this season at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix between May 16-18, where most teams will bring major upgrades for the first time this campaign.
But it’s not just the teams that need to tweak their approach. Namely, Norris, who hasn’t won since the season opener, must find a big result soon.
Otherwise, he risks letting Piastri establish himself as the number one within the team, letting him build a gap which could be enough for him to relax in the title fight.
