Lando Norris confessed that his chances of winning the Canadian GP were hindered by the intervention of the Safety Car. The reigning world champion bounced back impressively after a lackluster performance in Monaco. However, during the race, it appeared that Norris was on track to secure his second Formula One victory. The British driver spoke openly about the late appearance of the Safety Car, which ultimately cost him the lead.
For the majority of the race, Norris was on par with his competitors, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. He showcased incredible speed as he utilized the DRS to overtake Verstappen on the straight before taking the lead in the first half of the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, the deployment of the Safety Car resulted in Norris losing precious time and falling behind the two drivers.
Nevertheless, Norris managed to regain second place by the end of the race. The McLaren driver described the Canadian GP as eventful and chaotic. He maintained that he displayed excellent pace throughout the entire race. However, Norris acknowledged that the Safety Car ruined his chances of securing victory. Nonetheless, he also acknowledged that the Safety Car had played a role in his first-ever Formula One triumph in Miami.
Norris expressed his thoughts on the race, stating, “It was chaos and eventful. To be honest, I believe I drove a strong race from start to finish. I had incredible pace, and although the Safety Car affected me, similar to what happened in Miami, it also worked in my favor.”
The drivers were forced to navigate an extremely wet track in Montreal, leading to virtually no visibility on the circuit. This challenging condition resulted in Sergio Perez colliding with Pierre Gasly. Additionally, Norris struggled with grip during his out lap after the Safety Car period, failing to overtake Max Verstappen through an overcut. Ultimately, this setback cost him the Canadian GP.
Norris admitted that such conditions could be stressful for drivers. However, he also emphasized that they could be enjoyable. Furthermore, he praised Max Verstappen for his impressive victory in Montreal. Nevertheless, Norris expressed satisfaction in scoring valuable points for McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
“These conditions are incredibly stressful inside the car, but they can also be fun. Things were going well, but credit to Max, he drove a strong race. The Safety Car helped me in Miami, and although I am disappointed, I am happy that we secured good points in the Constructors’ Championship,” Norris stated.
Undoubtedly, Lando Norris had a successful weekend in Montreal, and McLaren should be pleased with their strong performance against Red Bull. However, Norris and the team will continue to strive for race victories in the upcoming events.