Lando Norris' newfound dominance unsettles Red Bull and Max Verstappen
Lando Norris snatched a big win during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, crossing the line 22.896 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, the reigning champion. The British driver snatched a big victory in Verstappen-land, making him a clear competitor for the world championship.
"Norris' victory is alarming", stated Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko, who sees the McLaren driver as a clear threat to the Austrian's team hegemony over the world championship.
Over at the Red Bull paddock, there is a sense of uncertainty regarding their ability to stay on track with the constructor's championship, alongside the drivers' championship, regardless of the 70-point lead.
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Lando Norris was asked how confident he felt with his chances of causing a serious upset in the championship, later claiming "it's pretty stupid" to think about winning the world championship now. Yet, is there a possibility?
Norris' victory "was the second-most dominant of the year, in terms of the winner's gap to his closest rival," according to the BBC.
McLaren displayed great joy in the paddock after they flopped the start, gifting Verstappen the lead of the race in lap 1. The British driver stuck behind Verstappen until he overtook him with imperious ease before the first pits. He also clocked in the fastest lap of the race, to add an extra cheeky point to the tally.
Nevertheless, Norris was not about to get carried away... "I mean, I've been fighting for the championship since the first race of the year. There's no sudden decision of, now I need to do better," shared Norris during the post-race interview.
"I just take on race at a time and just keep doing what I'm doing now because there's no point in thinking ahead and thinking of the rest. I don't care about it at the minute," added the McLaren driver.
Verstappen on the other hand saw this weekend in Zandvoort as a wake-up call for the team. "This weekend was just a bad weekend in general, so we need to understand that... The last few races, they haven't been fantastic," shared the Dutch driver after the race.
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Regardless of the outcome, this is adding great excitement to what was looking to be a very dull season, with another comfortable title victory for the 'Flying Dutchman'. Norris has a chance to alter the course of the championship, but he must be on point every single race.
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