Lando Norris heaped praise on Max Verstappen after the Dutchman clinched a fourth successive Formula 1 World Championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Norris had to out-score Verstappen by at least three points on Saturday night in order to keep alive his dwindling title hopes.
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Neither Verstappen nor Norris had front-running pace throughout the weekend, but Verstappen was able to take fifth, with Norris trailing behind in a distant sixth position – replicating their respective starting positions, though the McLaren man did bag the fastest lap bonus point.
As a consequence Verstappen secured the 2024 championship with two rounds of the season left in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Norris would finish sixth in Las Vegas as Verstappen finished a place ahead, sealing the 2024 title in the process
“Congrats to Max – I’m disappointed I’m out of it, but Max deserved to win it,” Norris said.
“He drove a better season than I did, he deserved it more than anyone else, Max just doesn’t have a weakness.
“When he’s got the best car he dominates and when he’s not got the best car he’s still just there always, always there to make your life tough and difficult.
“He drove a very good year, can’t fault him. This weekend’s been dreadful from us, we couldn’t even put up a fight against Max, something I would have loved to have done today, but congrats to him for what he’s achieved.”
2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix: Max Verstappen clinches title number four under the Las Vegas lights
Norris, who set the race’s fastest lap to gain a bonus point, was followed home by team-mate Oscar Piastri, ensuring it was a case of damage limitation on a difficult weekend for McLaren.
As a result the team’s advantage over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship was trimmed from 36 to 24 points.
“I think we had to get everything out of it today, every point is going to matter at the end of the season as Ferrari are performing well,” Norris said.
“But I’m hoping this weekend is a bit of an anomaly for us and we return a bit more back to our usual [pace] the next weekends. I don’t think our usual is quickest necessarily, I think it’s been us, Ferrari, Mercedes, Red bull, no-one knows who’ll be on top next weekend or the weekend after.
“It’s exciting for you guys, stressful and makes our life tough, and mine behind the wheel! But we’ll keep fighting, we have to, I think it’s [the Constructors’ fight] very much alive still, I’m confident we can still do it, but it’s not going to be easy by any means.”