McLaren driver <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lando-norris">Lando Norris</a> finished Friday evening&rsquo;s second practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix fastest, with a crash for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yuki-tsunoda">Yuki Tsunoda</a> bringing out the red flags in the closing stages.
Having just missed out on top spot in Free Practice 1, Drivers&rsquo; Championship leader Norris hovered towards the top of the times throughout FP2.
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Tsunoda claimed sixth but finished the session in the barrier at the final turn after the Red Bull driver clipped the wall on the inside, breaking his suspension which sent him into the barrier on the exit. The end of the red flag period left just over a minute remaining, with drivers scrambling out to take practice starts but not altering the order.
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"I just turned into a margin and clipped the wall inside the wheel," he said, explaining the incident that left his car damaged and him with no control. Despite the early exit, Tsunoda remained upbeat about the car's pace. He said, "Confidence level was pretty good... pace was looking good, so yeah, shame."
Meanwhile, it was a frustrating FP2 for Gabriel, who missed the session entirely due to a fuel leak. &ldquo;Definitely not ideal,&rdquo; he said, particularly given this is his first time tackling one of the fastest tracks on the calendar in an F1 car. Despite the setback, Gabriel maintained perspective. &ldquo;It happens... now I will listen to what Nico has to say and we move on.&rdquo;
<h2>'A bit of a messy one'</h2>
Mercedes driver George Russell described the session as &ldquo;a bit of a messy one,&rdquo; with fewer laps than anticipated and a step back in performance compared to FP1. However, some experimentation between him and teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli&nbsp;provided valuable insight. &ldquo;We tried some things... got a bit of a direction from that.&rdquo;&nbsp;
McLaren's Oscar Piastri had a relatively smooth Friday, carrying forward his strong form from Bahrain. &ldquo;It was a decent day,&rdquo; he said, adding that while a few corners still need refinement, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;feeling confident for tomorrow.&rdquo; McLaren looked quick throughout both sessions, and Piastri echoed the belief that there&rsquo;s still more to extract come qualifying.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a>, ever the perfectionist, wasn&rsquo;t fully satisfied despite ending FP2 in the top three. &ldquo;We tried some different things&hellip; learned a lot,&rdquo; he said. The long runs, however, were 'very tough', suggesting Red Bull still has homework to do overnight.&nbsp;
With McLaren once again looking sharp, Red Bull hunting for answers, and several drivers &mdash; both veterans and rookies &mdash; dealing with mixed fortunes, qualifying promises to be a tightly fought affair.
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Formula 1, Sports: Tsunoda had enjoyed a solid session up to that point, taking the sixth-fastest time, seven tenths behind session leader Lando Norris

McLaren driver Lando Norris finished Friday evening’s second practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix fastest, with a crash for Yuki Tsunoda bringing out the red flags in the closing stages. Having just missed out on top spot in Free Practice 1, Drivers’ Championship leader Norris hovered towards the top of the times throughout FP2. Tsunoda claimed sixth but finished the session in the barrier at the final turn after the Red Bull driver clipped the wall on the inside, breaking his suspension which sent him into the barrier on the exit. The end of the red flag period left just over a minute remaining, with drivers scrambling out to take practice starts but not altering the order. Also Read: Exclusive | Leaping forward: 'My focus is on LA Olympics 2028', says India's long jump rising star Shaili Singh "I just turned into a margin and clipped the wall inside the wheel," he said, explaining the incident that left his car damaged and him with no control. Despite the early exit, Tsunoda remained upbeat about the car's pace. He said, "Confidence level was pretty good... pace was looking good, so yeah, shame." Meanwhile, it was a frustrating FP2 for Gabriel, who missed the session entirely due to a fuel leak. “Definitely not ideal,” he said, particularly given this is his first time tackling one of the fastest tracks on the calendar in an F1 car. Despite the setback, Gabriel maintained perspective. “It happens... now I will listen to what Nico has to say and we move on.” 'A bit of a messy one' Mercedes driver George Russell described the session as “a bit of a messy one,” with fewer laps than anticipated and a step back in performance compared to FP1. However, some experimentation between him and teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli provided valuable insight. “We tried some things... got a bit of a direction from that.” McLaren's Oscar Piastri had a relatively smooth Friday, carrying forward his strong form from Bahrain. “It was a decent day,” he said, adding that while a few corners still need refinement, he’s “feeling confident for tomorrow.” McLaren looked quick throughout both sessions, and Piastri echoed the belief that there’s still more to extract come qualifying. Max Verstappen, ever the perfectionist, wasn’t fully satisfied despite ending FP2 in the top three. “We tried some different things… learned a lot,” he said. The long runs, however, were 'very tough', suggesting Red Bull still has homework to do overnight. With McLaren once again looking sharp, Red Bull hunting for answers, and several drivers — both veterans and rookies — dealing with mixed fortunes, qualifying promises to be a tightly fought affair.

Formula 1: 'I just turned in too much', says Red Bulls driver Yuki after crashing out in FP2; Norris leads McLaren 1-2

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/oscar-piastri">Oscar Piastri</a> won the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday from George Russell's Mercedes with the Australian's McLaren teammate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lando-norris">Lando Norris</a> in third.&nbsp;Pole-sitter Piastri gave McLaren their first ever win in Sakhir at their 21st attempt.
Taking the chequered flag under floodlights on a balmy Sunday evening in the Gulf kingdom was just reward after a weekend he had dominated, both in practice and in qualifying.
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Despite an incident-packed race behind him, Piastri crossed the line 15.499s clear of Russell, who was under investigation for an issue with the DRS (drag reduction system).
<h2>'That was pretty damn fun'</h2>
"That should be one hell of a party tonight. Mega weekend everyone. That was pretty damn fun," Piastri said after marking his 50th start in perfect style.
Charles Leclerc for Ferrari came in fourth with his teammate Lewis Hamilton fifth ahead of four-time world champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a>'s Red Bull and Pierre Gasly earning Alpine's first points of the year at the fourth attempt.
Rounding out the top 10 were Esteban Ocon (Haas), recovering from a big smash in qualifying, Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull, and Ocon's teammate Oliver Bearman.
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Formula 1, Sports: Charles Leclerc for Ferrari came in fourth with his teammate Lewis Hamilton fifth ahead of four-time world champion Max Verstappen's Red Bull

Oscar Piastri won the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday from George Russell's Mercedes with the Australian's McLaren teammate Lando Norris in third. Pole-sitter Piastri gave McLaren their first ever win in Sakhir at their 21st attempt. Taking the chequered flag under floodlights on a balmy Sunday evening in the Gulf kingdom was just reward after a weekend he had dominated, both in practice and in qualifying. Also Read: IPL 2025: Tilak powers Mumbai Indians to 205/5 against Delhi Capitals Despite an incident-packed race behind him, Piastri crossed the line 15.499s clear of Russell, who was under investigation for an issue with the DRS (drag reduction system). 'That was pretty damn fun' "That should be one hell of a party tonight. Mega weekend everyone. That was pretty damn fun," Piastri said after marking his 50th start in perfect style. Charles Leclerc for Ferrari came in fourth with his teammate Lewis Hamilton fifth ahead of four-time world champion Max Verstappen's Red Bull and Pierre Gasly earning Alpine's first points of the year at the fourth attempt. Rounding out the top 10 were Esteban Ocon (Haas), recovering from a big smash in qualifying, Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull, and Ocon's teammate Oliver Bearman. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula 1: McLaren's Oscar Piastri wins Bahrain Grand Prix

Four-time world champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a> led from pole to chequered flag to win the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, his first victory of the 2025 season, with McLaren's Lando Norris second.
The Dutch Red Bull driver crossed the finish line almost 1.5 seconds in front of Briton Norris, who held off his McLaren teammate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/oscar-piastri">Oscar Piastri</a> of Australia in third.&nbsp;The win on a damp but drying track at Suzuka was Verstappen's fourth straight victory in Japan and closed the gap on Norris at the top of the drivers' championship to one point.
"It was tough. The McLarens were pushing me very hard," said Verstappen.&nbsp;"It was a lot of fun but not easy pushing the tyres. I am incredibly happy.
"Starting on pole made it possible to win."&nbsp;Ferrari's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/charles-leclerc">Charles Leclerc</a> finished fourth ahead of the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
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Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was seventh, with RB's Isack Hadjar next ahead of Williams' Alex Albon and Haas's Oliver Bearman.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yuki-tsunoda">Yuki Tsunoda</a> finished 12th in his first race for Red Bull since replacing Liam Lawson, having started from 14th on the grid in his home grand prix. Lawson was 17th for RB.
Verstappen and Norris were involved in a flashpoint midway through the race as the two front-runners emerged from a pit stop.&nbsp;Norris drew up alongside Verstappen but the Dutchman refused to budge and Norris was forced onto the grass before sliding back onto the track.
<h2>'He drove himself onto the grass'</h2>
Norris said "he forced me off" but Verstappen told his team that he was not to blame.&nbsp;"He drove himself onto the grass," said Verstappen.
Stewards reviewed the incident and decided not to investigate further.&nbsp;Verstappen has struggled to get to grips with his Red Bull this season, finishing second in Australia and fourth in China.
But he pulled off a lap for the ages in qualifying in Suzuka, pipping Norris to claim his first pole of the season in a track-record time.&nbsp;Verstappen got away cleanly from Norris and Piastri at the first turn, with little change in the grid.
The Dutchman quickly established control by laying down the fastest lap and his lead grew over the early part of the race.&nbsp;Eighteen-year-old rookie Antonelli briefly took the lead while Verstappen and Norris were in the pits, to become Formula One's youngest-ever race leader.
Verstappen soon reclaimed the lead and his team gave him the green light to push until the end of the race.&nbsp;The two McLarens stayed on his tail, with Piastri telling his team "I have the pace to get Max" but Verstappen could not be caught.
Conditions at Suzuka had been dry all week, with a series of small trackside fires halting practice several times but rain early on Sunday removed any chance of a repeat in the race.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula 1, Sports: Max crossed the finish line almost 1.5 seconds in front of Briton Norris, who held off his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri of Australia in third

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen led from pole to chequered flag to win the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, his first victory of the 2025 season, with McLaren's Lando Norris second. The Dutch Red Bull driver crossed the finish line almost 1.5 seconds in front of Briton Norris, who held off his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri of Australia in third. The win on a damp but drying track at Suzuka was Verstappen's fourth straight victory in Japan and closed the gap on Norris at the top of the drivers' championship to one point. "It was tough. The McLarens were pushing me very hard," said Verstappen. "It was a lot of fun but not easy pushing the tyres. I am incredibly happy. "Starting on pole made it possible to win." Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fourth ahead of the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Also Read: La Liga: Real Madrid suffer shock defeat to Valencia, Barcelona draws with Real Betis Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was seventh, with RB's Isack Hadjar next ahead of Williams' Alex Albon and Haas's Oliver Bearman. Yuki Tsunoda finished 12th in his first race for Red Bull since replacing Liam Lawson, having started from 14th on the grid in his home grand prix. Lawson was 17th for RB. Verstappen and Norris were involved in a flashpoint midway through the race as the two front-runners emerged from a pit stop. Norris drew up alongside Verstappen but the Dutchman refused to budge and Norris was forced onto the grass before sliding back onto the track. 'He drove himself onto the grass' Norris said "he forced me off" but Verstappen told his team that he was not to blame. "He drove himself onto the grass," said Verstappen. Stewards reviewed the incident and decided not to investigate further. Verstappen has struggled to get to grips with his Red Bull this season, finishing second in Australia and fourth in China. But he pulled off a lap for the ages in qualifying in Suzuka, pipping Norris to claim his first pole of the season in a track-record time. Verstappen got away cleanly from Norris and Piastri at the first turn, with little change in the grid. The Dutchman quickly established control by laying down the fastest lap and his lead grew over the early part of the race. Eighteen-year-old rookie Antonelli briefly took the lead while Verstappen and Norris were in the pits, to become Formula One's youngest-ever race leader. Verstappen soon reclaimed the lead and his team gave him the green light to push until the end of the race. The two McLarens stayed on his tail, with Piastri telling his team "I have the pace to get Max" but Verstappen could not be caught. Conditions at Suzuka had been dry all week, with a series of small trackside fires halting practice several times but rain early on Sunday removed any chance of a repeat in the race. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins Japanese GP from Lando Norris

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lando-norris">Lando Norris</a> kept his cool in a rain-hit and incident-packed season-opening Australian Grand Prix Sunday to edge world champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a> with Lewis Hamilton 10th on his Ferrari debut.
The pole-sitting Briton took the chequered flag by less than a second from the Dutchman, with Mercedes' George Russell third after a chaotic race in Melbourne that saw three drivers crash before the end of the first lap.
With the safety car repeatedly forced into action after a slew of accidents on the wet Albert Park circuit, Norris held on to clock a fifth grand prix win and second in a row after topping the podium at the final race of 2024 in Abu Dhabi.
RB rookie Isack Hadjar, Alpine's Jack Doohan and Williams' Carlos Sainz -- last year's winner -- all failed to finish the first lap on a track made treacherous by earlier torrential rain.
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Norris came into the season as favourite for the 2025 drivers' title and cemented his status as the man to beat.&nbsp;"It was amazing, a top race, especially with Max behind me. I was pushing, especially the last two laps -- it was a little bit stressful, not going to lie," said Norris.
"Tricky conditions, but there are the ones that are enjoyable and we ended up on top so I'm happy."
Verstappen, who is aiming to become only the second driver to win five straight world titles after Michael Schumacher, was in the hunt early but an uncharacteristic error on lap 18 dented his chances until another safety car put him back in the frame.
"It was a difficult race, but at the end it was fun," said the Dutch star.&nbsp;"It was pushing, fighting for the win but I'm just happy to bring it home, score good points and this is a good start for us."
In the unpredictable conditions, with rain on-and-off, Williams' Alex Albon was an encouraging fourth ahead of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli on his debut.
Aston Martin's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lance-stroll">Lance Stroll</a> was sixth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in a Sauber.&nbsp;Ferrari's Charles Leclerc came eighth, with Norris' teammate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/oscar-piastri">Oscar Piastri</a> and Hamilton rounding out the top 10.
While torrential rain eased for the main event, the tricky conditions were rammed home when Hadjar skidded and hit the wall on the formation lap and was out before the race even started.
The Frenchman, on his debut, left the track clearly distraught.&nbsp;The start was aborted and when the green lights finally came on, Norris, on intermediate tyres, made a clean jump and kept his position at the first corner.
<h2>Max pressure</h2>
Verstappen also had a flying start and passed Piastri to go second while Leclerc moved up two places to fifth.&nbsp;But the race was interrupted minutes later when Doohan ploughed into the wall, then the experienced Sainz did the same on his Williams debut.
They restarted after a safety car with Norris holding his spot ahead of Verstappen and with Piastri they began pulling clear of fourth-placed Russell.
With the track drying, the gap to Russell was eight seconds by lap 13.&nbsp;But with his tyres starting to wear, Verstappen brushed the gravel on lap 18 and Piastri flashed past back into second.
Norris and Piastri powered 18 seconds ahead of the Dutchman before Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin into the wall on lap 34 and the safety car came out again.
All teams used the opportunity to make their pit stops with Norris and Piastri emerging on hards and Verstappen on mediums.&nbsp;After the safety car peeled off, Norris flew into a two-second lead before Piastri, pushing hard, skidded onto the grass to drop down the field as Verstappen powered past.
But again a safety car was required when Red Bull's Liam Lawson spun, with Norris, Verstappen and Russell the top three at the restart with seven laps left.
Verstappen pressed Norris hard for the win when they got going again, but the Briton was able to hold on.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Formula 1: The pole-sitting Briton took the chequered flag by less than a second from the Dutchman, with Mercedes' George Russell third after a chaotic race in Melbourne

Lando Norris kept his cool in a rain-hit and incident-packed season-opening Australian Grand Prix Sunday to edge world champion Max Verstappen with Lewis Hamilton 10th on his Ferrari debut. The pole-sitting Briton took the chequered flag by less than a second from the Dutchman, with Mercedes' George Russell third after a chaotic race in Melbourne that saw three drivers crash before the end of the first lap. With the safety car repeatedly forced into action after a slew of accidents on the wet Albert Park circuit, Norris held on to clock a fifth grand prix win and second in a row after topping the podium at the final race of 2024 in Abu Dhabi. RB rookie Isack Hadjar, Alpine's Jack Doohan and Williams' Carlos Sainz -- last year's winner -- all failed to finish the first lap on a track made treacherous by earlier torrential rain. Also Read: 'Don't want to sit alone and sulk': Disappointed Virat Kohli slams BCCI's 'family diktat' Norris came into the season as favourite for the 2025 drivers' title and cemented his status as the man to beat. "It was amazing, a top race, especially with Max behind me. I was pushing, especially the last two laps -- it was a little bit stressful, not going to lie," said Norris. "Tricky conditions, but there are the ones that are enjoyable and we ended up on top so I'm happy." Verstappen, who is aiming to become only the second driver to win five straight world titles after Michael Schumacher, was in the hunt early but an uncharacteristic error on lap 18 dented his chances until another safety car put him back in the frame. "It was a difficult race, but at the end it was fun," said the Dutch star. "It was pushing, fighting for the win but I'm just happy to bring it home, score good points and this is a good start for us." In the unpredictable conditions, with rain on-and-off, Williams' Alex Albon was an encouraging fourth ahead of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli on his debut. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll was sixth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in a Sauber. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc came eighth, with Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri and Hamilton rounding out the top 10. While torrential rain eased for the main event, the tricky conditions were rammed home when Hadjar skidded and hit the wall on the formation lap and was out before the race even started. The Frenchman, on his debut, left the track clearly distraught. The start was aborted and when the green lights finally came on, Norris, on intermediate tyres, made a clean jump and kept his position at the first corner. Max pressure Verstappen also had a flying start and passed Piastri to go second while Leclerc moved up two places to fifth. But the race was interrupted minutes later when Doohan ploughed into the wall, then the experienced Sainz did the same on his Williams debut. They restarted after a safety car with Norris holding his spot ahead of Verstappen and with Piastri they began pulling clear of fourth-placed Russell. With the track drying, the gap to Russell was eight seconds by lap 13. But with his tyres starting to wear, Verstappen brushed the gravel on lap 18 and Piastri flashed past back into second. Norris and Piastri powered 18 seconds ahead of the Dutchman before Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin into the wall on lap 34 and the safety car came out again. All teams used the opportunity to make their pit stops with Norris and Piastri emerging on hards and Verstappen on mediums. After the safety car peeled off, Norris flew into a two-second lead before Piastri, pushing hard, skidded onto the grass to drop down the field as Verstappen powered past. But again a safety car was required when Red Bull's Liam Lawson spun, with Norris, Verstappen and Russell the top three at the restart with seven laps left. Verstappen pressed Norris hard for the win when they got going again, but the Briton was able to hold on. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula 1: Lando Norris holds off Max Verstappen to win rain-hit Australian Grand Prix

Lando Norris clinched pole position on Saturday for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri as McLaren fired a warning shot to their rivals.
In scorching hot conditions at Melbourne's Albert Park, world champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a> came third in tense qualifying.&nbsp;Mercedes' George Russell will keep Red Bull's four-time world champion company on the second row. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lewis-hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> will start in eighth on his Ferrari debut.
"It's the perfect way to start the year. A big congrats to the team, everyone has done an amazing job to start with a one-two," said Norris.&nbsp;
"But it is just quali, right? Let's see tomorrow," he added.&nbsp;"The car is extremely quick. When you put it together it is unbelievable, but it is hard to put it together.&nbsp;
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"I'm never going to get ahead of myself, I'm confident the car is in a good place but we have never run it in the wet."
The forecast for Sunday's race is for cooler temperatures and rain.&nbsp;Norris eclipsed his rivals with a flying lap of one minute 15.096 seconds on soft tyres, 0.084sec ahead of Piastri. &nbsp;&nbsp;
"Pretty happy, great to start the year on the front row," said Piastri. "Pretty happy with how qualifying went but just not quite enough in Q3, but it is a long season so a good start," added the Australian.
"Maybe left a little bit on the table."&nbsp;
No Australian driver has won their home race since Alan Jones in 1980, but that was a non-championship race before Australia was added to the F1 calendar in 1985.
Verstappen, who was the pole-sitter in 2023 and 2024, was three-tenths behind Norris.&nbsp;But his rookie teammate Liam Lawson, who replaced the underperforming Sergio Perez, failed to get out of Q1.&nbsp;
<h2>'Quali laps are exciting'</h2>
Mercedes' teenager Kimi Antonelli was another big Q1 casualty after gravel damaged the floor of his car.&nbsp;"It was good, yesterday was quite tough so for us to be P3 today, I'd take that," said Verstappen.&nbsp;
"Quali laps are exciting, good grip around here and some fast corners."&nbsp;Verstappen is chasing a second win in Australia after his 2023 victory to kickstart his bid for a fifth consecutive world title, a feat only Michael Schumacher has achieved.&nbsp;
RB's Yuki Tsunoda will start a surprise fifth alongside the Williams of Alex Albon.&nbsp;Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Hamilton were a disappointing seventh and eighth with Alpine's Pierre Gasly and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-sainz">Carlos Sainz</a> in the other Williams filling out the top 10.
Last year in Melbourne it was a Ferrari one-two with Sainz holding off teammate Leclerc for the win, ahead of Norris.
Verstappen and Hamilton both failed to finish.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/fernando-alonso">Fernando Alonso</a> and his Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll have struggled for pace all weekend and failed to get through Q2 alongside Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, RB's Isack Hadjar and Alpine's Jack Doohan.
Haas's Ollie Bearman failed to set a time in Q1 and was eliminated with teammate Esteban Ocon, Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, Lawson and Antonelli.&nbsp;Briton's Bearman has endured a horror weekend, smashing into the barriers in first practice on Friday and unable to take part in the second session.
He skidded into the gravel Saturday on his first lap in third practice, before reporting his gearbox was "broken" without completing a lap in qualifying.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Sports, Formula 1: Mercedes' George Russell will keep Red Bull's four-time world champion company on the second row. Lewis Hamilton will start in eighth on his Ferrari debut

Lando Norris clinched pole position on Saturday for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri as McLaren fired a warning shot to their rivals. In scorching hot conditions at Melbourne's Albert Park, world champion Max Verstappen came third in tense qualifying. Mercedes' George Russell will keep Red Bull's four-time world champion company on the second row. Lewis Hamilton will start in eighth on his Ferrari debut. "It's the perfect way to start the year. A big congrats to the team, everyone has done an amazing job to start with a one-two," said Norris. "But it is just quali, right? Let's see tomorrow," he added. "The car is extremely quick. When you put it together it is unbelievable, but it is hard to put it together. Also Read: WPL 2025: Indian crowd vs MCG? Australian all-rounder and Delhi Capitals' Annabel Sutherland weighs in "I'm never going to get ahead of myself, I'm confident the car is in a good place but we have never run it in the wet." The forecast for Sunday's race is for cooler temperatures and rain. Norris eclipsed his rivals with a flying lap of one minute 15.096 seconds on soft tyres, 0.084sec ahead of Piastri. "Pretty happy, great to start the year on the front row," said Piastri. "Pretty happy with how qualifying went but just not quite enough in Q3, but it is a long season so a good start," added the Australian. "Maybe left a little bit on the table." No Australian driver has won their home race since Alan Jones in 1980, but that was a non-championship race before Australia was added to the F1 calendar in 1985. Verstappen, who was the pole-sitter in 2023 and 2024, was three-tenths behind Norris. But his rookie teammate Liam Lawson, who replaced the underperforming Sergio Perez, failed to get out of Q1. 'Quali laps are exciting' Mercedes' teenager Kimi Antonelli was another big Q1 casualty after gravel damaged the floor of his car. "It was good, yesterday was quite tough so for us to be P3 today, I'd take that," said Verstappen. "Quali laps are exciting, good grip around here and some fast corners." Verstappen is chasing a second win in Australia after his 2023 victory to kickstart his bid for a fifth consecutive world title, a feat only Michael Schumacher has achieved. RB's Yuki Tsunoda will start a surprise fifth alongside the Williams of Alex Albon. Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Hamilton were a disappointing seventh and eighth with Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz in the other Williams filling out the top 10. Last year in Melbourne it was a Ferrari one-two with Sainz holding off teammate Leclerc for the win, ahead of Norris. Verstappen and Hamilton both failed to finish. Fernando Alonso and his Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll have struggled for pace all weekend and failed to get through Q2 alongside Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, RB's Isack Hadjar and Alpine's Jack Doohan. Haas's Ollie Bearman failed to set a time in Q1 and was eliminated with teammate Esteban Ocon, Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, Lawson and Antonelli. Briton's Bearman has endured a horror weekend, smashing into the barriers in first practice on Friday and unable to take part in the second session. He skidded into the gravel Saturday on his first lap in third practice, before reporting his gearbox was "broken" without completing a lap in qualifying. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula1: Lando Norris edges Oscar Piastri for pole position as McLaren lock out Melbourne front row

Lando Norris enters the 2025 Formula 1 season as the favourite, but history&mdash;and fierce competition&mdash;stand in his way. His friend-turned-rival <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a> is chasing a fifth consecutive title, a feat achieved only by legendary Michael Schumacher. Like Schumacher, Verstappen is a relentless competitor, unafraid to push boundaries&mdash;a trait Norris has learned the hard way.
Adding to the challenge, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lewis-hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> embarks on a new chapter with Ferrari, aiming for a record-breaking eighth championship. The Italian team, hungry for its first drivers' title since 2007, is determined to make Hamilton's arrival a historic one.
<h2>Norris under pressure as favourite</h2>
McLaren&rsquo;s strong finish in 2024 established Norris as a top contender, but the field is tighter than ever. Preseason testing suggests McLaren remains competitive, but threats loom from multiple directions. Verstappen is still a force to be reckoned with, Hamilton is rejuvenated at Ferrari, and Norris' own teammate, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/oscar-piastri">Oscar Piastri</a>, is eager to make his mark. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/charles-leclerc" rel="dofollow">Charles Leclerc </a>(Ferrari) and George Russell (Mercedes) add further unpredictability to a season that could be the closest in years.
Despite the weight of expectations, Norris insists he thrives under pressure. "I know coming into this season that for a lot of people I'm the favourite," he said. "I've always done much better under pressure. I'm able to think and to focus much more."
<h2>Verstappen: The man to beat</h2>
Ever since his dramatic 2021 title win over Hamilton, Verstappen has dominated the sport. Some questioned whether his motivation would wane, but his performance in 2024, where he frequently pushed Norris to the limit and beyond, proved otherwise.
"My motivation is there because last year was not straightforward," Verstappen said. "We had good wins, but not as many as we would have liked. But we still won the championship."
Despite internal tensions at Red Bull, Verstappen remains settled and confident, calling the team his "second family" as he enters his 11th F1 season.
<h2>Hamilton&rsquo;s Ferrari gamble</h2>
For Hamilton, 2025 is about legacy. A title would make him the undisputed greatest champion in F1 history with eight championships. His switch to Ferrari has electrified fans, some of whom even cut down a tree to get a glimpse of him testing the new SF-25.
"I know what a winning team looks and feels like," Hamilton said. "The passion here is like nothing you've ever seen. They have everything they need to win a championship&mdash;it's just about putting the pieces together."
<h2>Wild cards</h2>
Mercedes, after struggling with car issues, showed strong late-season form in 2024, with Russell securing key victories. He&rsquo;s joined by 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, mentored by Hamilton. Meanwhile, teams like Aston Martin may shift focus early to their 2026 development, given the upcoming regulation changes.
<h2>FIA vs Drivers</h2>
Beyond the racing, tensions are brewing between drivers and the sport&rsquo;s governing body, the FIA. President Mohammed Ben Sulayem&rsquo;s crackdown on driver swearing has introduced hefty fines (starting at &euro;40,000) and potential suspensions for repeat offenders. Drivers have also raised concerns about transparency regarding fine money, recent FIA staff changes, and Ben Sulayem&rsquo;s own behaviour. Expect fireworks both on and off the track.
<h2>The showdown</h2>
With multiple title contenders, inter-team battles, and off-track controversies, the 2025 F1 season promises to be one of the most unpredictable in years. Can Norris finally take the crown, or will Verstappen and Hamilton rewrite the record books once again?
(With inputs from agencies)

F1, Sports: Formula 1 prepares to embark on what could be one of the most competitive and open seasons in years at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend

Lando Norris enters the 2025 Formula 1 season as the favourite, but history—and fierce competition—stand in his way. His friend-turned-rival Max Verstappen is chasing a fifth consecutive title, a feat achieved only by legendary Michael Schumacher. Like Schumacher, Verstappen is a relentless competitor, unafraid to push boundaries—a trait Norris has learned the hard way. Adding to the challenge, Lewis Hamilton embarks on a new chapter with Ferrari, aiming for a record-breaking eighth championship. The Italian team, hungry for its first drivers' title since 2007, is determined to make Hamilton's arrival a historic one. Norris under pressure as favourite McLaren’s strong finish in 2024 established Norris as a top contender, but the field is tighter than ever. Preseason testing suggests McLaren remains competitive, but threats loom from multiple directions. Verstappen is still a force to be reckoned with, Hamilton is rejuvenated at Ferrari, and Norris' own teammate, Oscar Piastri, is eager to make his mark. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and George Russell (Mercedes) add further unpredictability to a season that could be the closest in years. Despite the weight of expectations, Norris insists he thrives under pressure. "I know coming into this season that for a lot of people I'm the favourite," he said. "I've always done much better under pressure. I'm able to think and to focus much more." Verstappen: The man to beat Ever since his dramatic 2021 title win over Hamilton, Verstappen has dominated the sport. Some questioned whether his motivation would wane, but his performance in 2024, where he frequently pushed Norris to the limit and beyond, proved otherwise. "My motivation is there because last year was not straightforward," Verstappen said. "We had good wins, but not as many as we would have liked. But we still won the championship." Despite internal tensions at Red Bull, Verstappen remains settled and confident, calling the team his "second family" as he enters his 11th F1 season. Hamilton’s Ferrari gamble For Hamilton, 2025 is about legacy. A title would make him the undisputed greatest champion in F1 history with eight championships. His switch to Ferrari has electrified fans, some of whom even cut down a tree to get a glimpse of him testing the new SF-25. "I know what a winning team looks and feels like," Hamilton said. "The passion here is like nothing you've ever seen. They have everything they need to win a championship—it's just about putting the pieces together." Wild cards Mercedes, after struggling with car issues, showed strong late-season form in 2024, with Russell securing key victories. He’s joined by 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, mentored by Hamilton. Meanwhile, teams like Aston Martin may shift focus early to their 2026 development, given the upcoming regulation changes. FIA vs Drivers Beyond the racing, tensions are brewing between drivers and the sport’s governing body, the FIA. President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s crackdown on driver swearing has introduced hefty fines (starting at €40,000) and potential suspensions for repeat offenders. Drivers have also raised concerns about transparency regarding fine money, recent FIA staff changes, and Ben Sulayem’s own behaviour. Expect fireworks both on and off the track. The showdown With multiple title contenders, inter-team battles, and off-track controversies, the 2025 F1 season promises to be one of the most unpredictable in years. Can Norris finally take the crown, or will Verstappen and Hamilton rewrite the record books once again? (With inputs from agencies)

Excitement builds as Australian GP marks start of F1 2025: New title contender, high hopes, and Hamilton’s Ferrari debut

Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday to seal McLaren's first constructors' title since 1998.

The pole-sitter claimed the team crown for the British marque after holding off the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in the season-closing race under floodlights at&nbsp;the Yas Marina circuit.

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Lewis Hamilton, who won McLaren's last drivers' title in 2008, overtook his teammate George Russell on the final lap to take fourth in his last race for Mercedes before his high-profile move to Ferrari next year.

Norris, who was not even born the last time McLaren won the constructors' title, said over the team radio: "Congrats to everyone. Incredible, so proud of you all, you all deserve this. Thank you, it's been a special one. Next year is going to be my year too."

With Max Verstappen wrapping up his fourth straight drivers' crown in Las Vegas last month, the last race focus was on the outcome of the team title.

McLaren went into the record 24th grand prix of the season 21 points clear of Ferrari.

They suffered an early blow when Red Bull's Verstappen collided with Oscar Piastri, who had started on the front row alongside Norris in a McLaren lockout.

But Norris drove a measured race from the front to fend off the Ferrari challenge, sparking wild scenes of delight in the McLaren garage.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday to seal McLaren's first constructors' title since 1998. The pole-sitter claimed the team crown for the British marque after holding off the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in the season-closing race under floodlights at the Yas Marina circuit.

Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday to seal McLaren's first constructors' title since 1998. The pole-sitter claimed the team crown for the British marque after holding off the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in the season-closing race under floodlights at the Yas Marina circuit. Also Read: Upset in NBA as Washington Wizards beat Denver Nuggets despite Nikola Jokic’s 56-point explosion Lewis Hamilton, who won McLaren's last drivers' title in 2008, overtook his teammate George Russell on the final lap to take fourth in his last race for Mercedes before his high-profile move to Ferrari next year. Norris, who was not even born the last time McLaren won the constructors' title, said over the team radio: "Congrats to everyone. Incredible, so proud of you all, you all deserve this. Thank you, it's been a special one. Next year is going to be my year too." With Max Verstappen wrapping up his fourth straight drivers' crown in Las Vegas last month, the last race focus was on the outcome of the team title. McLaren went into the record 24th grand prix of the season 21 points clear of Ferrari. They suffered an early blow when Red Bull's Verstappen collided with Oscar Piastri, who had started on the front row alongside Norris in a McLaren lockout. But Norris drove a measured race from the front to fend off the Ferrari challenge, sparking wild scenes of delight in the McLaren garage. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lando Norris wins final race as McLaren seals first constructors' title in 26 years

Oscar Piastri beat Lando Norris to top the times in a convincing McLaren one-two ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Saturday’s final practice ahead of the teams’ title-deciding season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Piastri clocked a best lap in one minute and 23.433 seconds to outpace Norris by 0.193sec with seven-time champion Hamilton, in his final race weekend with Mercedes, a further 0.39sec adrift.

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Newly-crowned four-time drivers’ champion Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who are looking to overhaul a 21-point deficit to deprive McLaren of a first constructors’ title since 1998, and George Russell in the second Mercedes.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh ahead of Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who faces a 10-place grid penalty on Sunday, and Sergio Perez, who is battling to keep his seat in the second Red Bull.

For Ferrari, it was a disappointing session that saw them unable to mount a real challenge to McLaren’s dominant speed, notably in qualifying trim, which suggested they are capable of clinching the title with a one-two in the final race of the year.

Given information about the speed of Piastri in the closing minutes, a somewhat forlorn Leclerc responded: "So, we are nowhere?"

Another hot day greeted the teams at the Yas Marina Circuit where temperatures of 41 degrees (track) and 28 (air) delivered near-perfect conditions.

After their acrimonious feud following the Qatar event last weekend, both Russell and Verstappen appeared to have 'moved on' and were pictured side by side and looking relaxed in the front row of an end-of-season gathering following a meeting of the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA).

Russell had pointedly avoided sitting near the Dutchman, moving a chair to avoid him, on Thursday evening at a drivers’ dinner, hours after they had exchanged accusations and insults.

"I think it’s going to be a good day,"said two-time champion Fernando Alonso on his Aston Martin radio channel after leading out for a first lap. "I have a good feeling."

Having described his car as the "worst ever" on Friday this was, like the body language of Russell and Verstappen, a quantum leap towards restoring some harmony – though the canine exchanges between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, team bosses of Mercedes and Red Bull, remain unresolved.

Wolff had described Horner as a "yappy little terrier" to which he responded saying "I would rather be a terrier than a wolf". For the paddock, it remained a hot topic for gossip and speculation.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Oscar Piastri beat Lando Norris to top the times in a convincing McLaren one-two ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Saturday’s final practice ahead of the teams’ title-deciding season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri beat Lando Norris to top the times in a convincing McLaren one-two ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Saturday’s final practice ahead of the teams’ title-deciding season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Piastri clocked a best lap in one minute and 23.433 seconds to outpace Norris by 0.193sec with seven-time champion Hamilton, in his final race weekend with Mercedes, a further 0.39sec adrift. ALSO READ: Liverpool-Everton Premier League game postponed due to high winds: Club Newly-crowned four-time drivers’ champion Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who are looking to overhaul a 21-point deficit to deprive McLaren of a first constructors’ title since 1998, and George Russell in the second Mercedes. Nico Hulkenberg was seventh ahead of Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who faces a 10-place grid penalty on Sunday, and Sergio Perez, who is battling to keep his seat in the second Red Bull. For Ferrari, it was a disappointing session that saw them unable to mount a real challenge to McLaren’s dominant speed, notably in qualifying trim, which suggested they are capable of clinching the title with a one-two in the final race of the year. Given information about the speed of Piastri in the closing minutes, a somewhat forlorn Leclerc responded: "So, we are nowhere?" Another hot day greeted the teams at the Yas Marina Circuit where temperatures of 41 degrees (track) and 28 (air) delivered near-perfect conditions. After their acrimonious feud following the Qatar event last weekend, both Russell and Verstappen appeared to have 'moved on' and were pictured side by side and looking relaxed in the front row of an end-of-season gathering following a meeting of the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA). Russell had pointedly avoided sitting near the Dutchman, moving a chair to avoid him, on Thursday evening at a drivers’ dinner, hours after they had exchanged accusations and insults. "I think it’s going to be a good day,"said two-time champion Fernando Alonso on his Aston Martin radio channel after leading out for a first lap. "I have a good feeling." Having described his car as the "worst ever" on Friday this was, like the body language of Russell and Verstappen, a quantum leap towards restoring some harmony – though the canine exchanges between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, team bosses of Mercedes and Red Bull, remain unresolved. Wolff had described Horner as a "yappy little terrier" to which he responded saying "I would rather be a terrier than a wolf". For the paddock, it remained a hot topic for gossip and speculation. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula 1: McLaren duo dominate final practice for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lando Norris said Max Verstappen should be a comedian when he responded on Thursday to the newly-crowned four-time champion's claim that he would have won the title more easily if he was driving for McLaren. The Red Bull driver made the comment after cruising to fifth place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend to seal his fourth drivers' title triumph.

"Yes, even earlier," Verstappen said when asked about such a scenario. "So I'd have been further ahead."

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When it was put to Norris, the McLaren driver smiled.

"He should start doing comedy or something," said Norris. "He can say whatever he wants… Of course, I completely disagree, as I would. He's good, but it's not true."

Verstappen had also suggested he won his fourth title in a year when he did not have the fastest car for at least 70 per cent of the season.

His comments were clearly intended to irritate his friend and rival Norris whose title dream ended in Las Vegas.

But this weekend he and McLaren hope to move closer to winning their first constructors' championship in 26 years –- perhaps with some help from Mercedes who reeled off a rare one-two in Las Vegas where George Russell won ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

"Mercedes were very quick here last year so they're definitely favourites coming into this weekend," said Norris. "Red Bull were good, we were good, as well, so I'm expecting a good battle.

"I'm hoping it probably favours us a little bit more than Ferrari, but Ferrari fixed a lot of the woes that they were struggling with last year so really I've no idea, but when you look at things, Ferrari and Mercedes seem to be a better flow at the moment."

McLaren, on 608 points, lead Ferrari on 584 by 24 points with two Grands Prix, including a sprint this weekend, remaining.

After a fractious exchange with his Ferrari team, Charles Leclerc said he and team-mate Carlos Sainz, who is leaving to be replaced by Hamilton next year, had settled their differences.

The pair swapped positions several times in Las Vegas following team orders that left Leclerc disgruntled.

On Thursday he said: "I don't want to go back to what happened in Vegas... In the last two races of the season, we need to do absolutely everything in order to win that constructors' championship. That's all that matters.

"Whatever happened in Vegas, we discussed it and we are all good -- which is the most important thing. I have no doubts about it because we've always had a really good relationship.

"It's very clear for both of us that we just want to win the constructors' and it's by working as a team that we'll achieve that. I'm sure there won't be any problems with it," Leclerc added.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lando Norris said Max Verstappen should be a comedian when he responded on Thursday to the newly-crowned four-time champion's claim that he would have won the title more easily if he was driving for McLaren.

Lando Norris said Max Verstappen should be a comedian when he responded on Thursday to the newly-crowned four-time champion's claim that he would have won the title more easily if he was driving for McLaren. The Red Bull driver made the comment after cruising to fifth place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend to seal his fourth drivers' title triumph. "Yes, even earlier," Verstappen said when asked about such a scenario. "So I'd have been further ahead." ALSO READ: NFL 2024/25: Detroit Lions survive Chicago Bears comeback to make it 10 wins in a row When it was put to Norris, the McLaren driver smiled. "He should start doing comedy or something," said Norris. "He can say whatever he wants… Of course, I completely disagree, as I would. He's good, but it's not true." Verstappen had also suggested he won his fourth title in a year when he did not have the fastest car for at least 70 per cent of the season. His comments were clearly intended to irritate his friend and rival Norris whose title dream ended in Las Vegas. But this weekend he and McLaren hope to move closer to winning their first constructors' championship in 26 years –- perhaps with some help from Mercedes who reeled off a rare one-two in Las Vegas where George Russell won ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. "Mercedes were very quick here last year so they're definitely favourites coming into this weekend," said Norris. "Red Bull were good, we were good, as well, so I'm expecting a good battle. "I'm hoping it probably favours us a little bit more than Ferrari, but Ferrari fixed a lot of the woes that they were struggling with last year so really I've no idea, but when you look at things, Ferrari and Mercedes seem to be a better flow at the moment." McLaren, on 608 points, lead Ferrari on 584 by 24 points with two Grands Prix, including a sprint this weekend, remaining. After a fractious exchange with his Ferrari team, Charles Leclerc said he and team-mate Carlos Sainz, who is leaving to be replaced by Hamilton next year, had settled their differences. The pair swapped positions several times in Las Vegas following team orders that left Leclerc disgruntled. On Thursday he said: "I don't want to go back to what happened in Vegas... In the last two races of the season, we need to do absolutely everything in order to win that constructors' championship. That's all that matters. "Whatever happened in Vegas, we discussed it and we are all good -- which is the most important thing. I have no doubts about it because we've always had a really good relationship. "It's very clear for both of us that we just want to win the constructors' and it's by working as a team that we'll achieve that. I'm sure there won't be any problems with it," Leclerc added. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

He should be a comedian: Lando Norris says of Max Verstappen over his ‘McLaren comments’

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive Formula One Championship on Sunday (Nov 24) after finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. On the brink of winning the title before the race, Verstappen’s fifth-place finish, coupled with nearest rival Lando Norris’s sixth spot, gave the Dutchman the title-winning lead in the championship table. This is the Dutch racer’s fourth consecutive title, joining an elite company in doing so.

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MAX VERSTAPPEN IS THE 2024 F1 WORLD CHAMPION! 🏆 
 
A brilliant fourth title in-a-row! Incredible!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LasVegasGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LasVegasGP</a> <a href="https://t.co/kiBpPmV86H">pic.twitter.com/kiBpPmV86H</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1860585797264478533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Verstappen wins F1 title</h2>

With a fifth-place finish, the 27-year-old driver earned 10 points, taking his tally to 393 points, giving him the title-winning lead with two races still to go. His nearest rival, Lando Norris of the United Kingdom, could have kept the title race on had he finished above Verstappen. However, Norris’s sixth-place finish saw him earn eight points, handing the Red Bull star his fourth consecutive title on the circuit.

He joins an elite list of drivers to win four consecutive titles which includes Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher and others.

Russell finished 7.313 seconds clear of seven-time champion Hamilton, who had started from 10th&nbsp;on the grid, with Carlos Sainz finishing third ahead of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, Verstappen and Norris, who was 43 seconds ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.&nbsp;

Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Haas ahead of RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.&nbsp;

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Norris, who needed to outscore Verstappen by three points to keep his title hopes alive, took an extra point for the fastest lap, but his challenge was over.

Seven wins in the opening ten races launched Verstappen to this success, but he needed to overcome a mid-season run of ten without a win before victory in a rain-hit race in Brazil set up his fourth title.

"It's been a long season," admitted Verstappen. "It started off amazingly, we were cruising and then we had a tough run, but we kept it together.

"At 17, I was just happy to be here and learn and never thought of this. To stand here now as a four-time champion is just incredible."&nbsp;

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive Formula One Championship on Sunday (Nov 24) after finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. On the brink of winning the title before the race, Verstappen’s fifth-place finish, coupled with nearest rival Lando Norris’s sixth spot, gave the Dutchman the title-winning lead in the championship table.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive Formula One Championship on Sunday (Nov 24) after finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. On the brink of winning the title before the race, Verstappen’s fifth-place finish, coupled with nearest rival Lando Norris’s sixth spot, gave the Dutchman the title-winning lead in the championship table. This is the Dutch racer’s fourth consecutive title, joining an elite company in doing so. MAX VERSTAPPEN IS THE 2024 F1 WORLD CHAMPION! 🏆 A brilliant fourth title in-a-row! Incredible!!!#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/kiBpPmV86H — Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2024 × Verstappen wins F1 title With a fifth-place finish, the 27-year-old driver earned 10 points, taking his tally to 393 points, giving him the title-winning lead with two races still to go. His nearest rival, Lando Norris of the United Kingdom, could have kept the title race on had he finished above Verstappen. However, Norris’s sixth-place finish saw him earn eight points, handing the Red Bull star his fourth consecutive title on the circuit. He joins an elite list of drivers to win four consecutive titles which includes Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher and others. Russell finished 7.313 seconds clear of seven-time champion Hamilton, who had started from 10th on the grid, with Carlos Sainz finishing third ahead of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, Verstappen and Norris, who was 43 seconds ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri. Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Haas ahead of RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull. ALSO READ | La Liga leaders Barcelona suffer late collapse at Celta Vigo in Lamine Yamal’s absence Norris, who needed to outscore Verstappen by three points to keep his title hopes alive, took an extra point for the fastest lap, but his challenge was over. Seven wins in the opening ten races launched Verstappen to this success, but he needed to overcome a mid-season run of ten without a win before victory in a rain-hit race in Brazil set up his fourth title. "It's been a long season," admitted Verstappen. "It started off amazingly, we were cruising and then we had a tough run, but we kept it together. "At 17, I was just happy to be here and learn and never thought of this. To stand here now as a four-time champion is just incredible."

Formula One: Red Bull's Max Verstappen clinches fourth consecutive world title

McLaren's Lando Norris said on Wednesday he has acquired the experience to challenge for a Formula One world championship but it is "probably too late" to stop Max Verstappen taking a fourth consecutive title this weekend. The British driver requires a minimum of three more points than Red Bull's three-time champion at this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to keep his title hopes alive.

Las Vegas is the first of a triple-header finale to the season which ends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;"It's been the first time that we've had a chance to fight at the front," said Norris.&nbsp; "We've not been able to do that for the past six years and this has been our and my first opportunity.&nbsp; "I was definitely not at the level I needed to be at the beginning of the year, but since the summer break I feel I've done a very good job and performed very well, by far some of my best. "I'm not completely happy with what I've done, but for the first time I feel I have got what it takes. I wasn't outright ready to go up against Red Bull and Max. I think I am now, but it is probably too late," the 25-year-old added.

After a salutary experience at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where Verstappen ended a 10-race winless run, Norris conceded the "door is almost shut" on his title bid. He goes into this weekend's race 62 points adrift of Dutch driver Verstappen.&nbsp;

"Max is one of the best drivers ever in F1 and to go up against that person who is so good takes a bit more than I have done this season," he said&nbsp; "I am not completely happy with what I've done, but for the first time I feel I have got what it takes to fight for the championship. "It doesn't mean I'm complete and when you are competing against drivers like Max you have to be close to perfect. The main thing I can take away is I have faith I have what it takes to fight for a championship."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-how-max-verstappen-can-win-formula-one-2024-season-in-las-vegas-all-you-need-to-know-777999">How Max Verstappen can win Formula One 2024 season in Las Vegas. All you need to know</a>

Norris admitted he had experienced a "tough time" after finishing in sixth place in Brazil in early November. "It was a defining moment for the championship. The doors are almost shut," he said. "For a week, I was pretty down because I had that realisation that things are pretty much out of my control and not within reach and that's a tough thing. "When your hopes are so high, to get it knocked down, that was pretty demoralising and not the best feeling."

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McLaren's Lando Norris said on Wednesday he has acquired the experience to challenge for a Formula One world championship but it is "probably too late" to stop Max Verstappen taking a fourth consecutive title this weekend.

McLaren's Lando Norris said on Wednesday he has acquired the experience to challenge for a Formula One world championship but it is "probably too late" to stop Max Verstappen taking a fourth consecutive title this weekend. The British driver requires a minimum of three more points than Red Bull's three-time champion at this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to keep his title hopes alive. Las Vegas is the first of a triple-header finale to the season which ends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. "It's been the first time that we've had a chance to fight at the front," said Norris. "We've not been able to do that for the past six years and this has been our and my first opportunity. "I was definitely not at the level I needed to be at the beginning of the year, but since the summer break I feel I've done a very good job and performed very well, by far some of my best. "I'm not completely happy with what I've done, but for the first time I feel I have got what it takes. I wasn't outright ready to go up against Red Bull and Max. I think I am now, but it is probably too late," the 25-year-old added. After a salutary experience at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where Verstappen ended a 10-race winless run, Norris conceded the "door is almost shut" on his title bid. He goes into this weekend's race 62 points adrift of Dutch driver Verstappen. "Max is one of the best drivers ever in F1 and to go up against that person who is so good takes a bit more than I have done this season," he said "I am not completely happy with what I've done, but for the first time I feel I have got what it takes to fight for the championship. "It doesn't mean I'm complete and when you are competing against drivers like Max you have to be close to perfect. The main thing I can take away is I have faith I have what it takes to fight for a championship." Also read: How Max Verstappen can win Formula One 2024 season in Las Vegas. All you need to know Norris admitted he had experienced a "tough time" after finishing in sixth place in Brazil in early November. "It was a defining moment for the championship. The doors are almost shut," he said. "For a week, I was pretty down because I had that realisation that things are pretty much out of my control and not within reach and that's a tough thing. "When your hopes are so high, to get it knocked down, that was pretty demoralising and not the best feeling." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

LA Grand Prix: Lando Norris admits 'probably too late' for Formula One title dream

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and a boost for his title challenge on Sunday as a furious Max Verstappen, facing a five-place grid penalty, qualified 12th&nbsp;from a delayed rainswept qualifying.

McLaren’s Norris, who is 44 points behind championship leader Verstappen, drove with great skill in difficult conditions that saw qualifying interrupted by five red flags, pulling out a best final lap of one minute and 23.405 seconds.

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It was good enough to edge out Mercedes George Russell by just 0.173 seconds.&nbsp;

All the top drivers made their best times in the final seconds on a drying track that supplied increased grip – enabling RB’s Yuki Tsunoda to take a career-best third ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson in the second RB.

It was Norris’s eighth career pole, his fifth in seven races and seventh this year, giving him a great opportunity to reduce Verstappen’s 44-point lead in the title race as the three-time champion faces a five-place penalty.

"I am so happy and I’m relieved after that!" said Norris.&nbsp;

"It was so difficult in those conditions. There was a lot going on and I am super-happy to be on pole and a bit surprised after my problems in Q1."

The Grand Prix starts later on Sunday at 1530 GMT.&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Ridiculous' -</h2>

Verstappen failed to make the cut from the second qualifying session,&nbsp;when it was halted by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll crash.&nbsp;

Verstappen, knowing Norris had a chance to cut his championship points lead, was infuriated by the delay in showing the red flag, which came too late to continue the second session.

"It’s ridiculous and it’s stupid to talk about it. That car hit the wall. It’s a straight red flag so why delay 40 seconds?"

The Dutchman will start the race 17th&nbsp;after a penalty for taking a new engine.&nbsp;

He was joined by teammate Sergio Perez as both Red Bulls missed the top-10 shootout along with last Sunday’s Mexico victor Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who exited in Q1.

Norris’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri qualified eighth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in sixth and Alex Albon, who crashed heavily in his Williams. Two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who also crashed, was ninth for Aston Martin.&nbsp;

The five red flags in qualifying equalled the record total set in qualifying at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – and extended the one-hour session by 45 minutes.

The session began in steady rain and official "full wet" conditions.

After several early incidents, a first red flag to halt the action in Q1 came when Franco Colapinto went into the barriers at Curva do Sol in his Williams.&nbsp;

After a five-minute pause, the session resumed, and Norris required a last-gasp lap to squeeze into Q2 as both Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg missed the cut along with Hamilton, Colapinto and Zhou.&nbsp;

The second session started in better conditions, and several drivers switched to intermediate tyres.&nbsp;

Oscar Piastri set the pace in 1:25.179 before another red flag when Sainz, victorious in Mexico last Sunday, smacked the barriers in his Ferrari at Turn Two. He was unhurt.&nbsp;

With five minutes remaining, Norris was languishing in 11th, but reacted by taking fresh intermediates to clinch his passage before Lance Stroll crashed to bring a third red flag.&nbsp;

He was unhurt, but his Aston Martin suffered severe damage.

It ended Q2 – and meant both Red Bulls were out, Verstappen in 12th&nbsp;and Sergio Perez 13th. Both were eliminated with Bottas, Sainz and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The red flag also came out after two-time champion Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin and Albon's Williams both slammed into the barriers, leaving their teams facing rapid rebuilds to get their cars ready for the race.&nbsp;

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Lando Norris secured pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and a boost for his title challenge on Sunday as a furious Max Verstappen, facing a five-place grid penalty, qualified 12th from a delayed rainswept qualifying.

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and a boost for his title challenge on Sunday as a furious Max Verstappen, facing a five-place grid penalty, qualified 12th from a delayed rainswept qualifying. McLaren’s Norris, who is 44 points behind championship leader Verstappen, drove with great skill in difficult conditions that saw qualifying interrupted by five red flags, pulling out a best final lap of one minute and 23.405 seconds. Also Read: Lionel Messi’s Inter goes down to Atlanta United in MLS Playoffs, Miami to host decider next week It was good enough to edge out Mercedes George Russell by just 0.173 seconds. All the top drivers made their best times in the final seconds on a drying track that supplied increased grip – enabling RB’s Yuki Tsunoda to take a career-best third ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson in the second RB. It was Norris’s eighth career pole, his fifth in seven races and seventh this year, giving him a great opportunity to reduce Verstappen’s 44-point lead in the title race as the three-time champion faces a five-place penalty. "I am so happy and I’m relieved after that!" said Norris. "It was so difficult in those conditions. There was a lot going on and I am super-happy to be on pole and a bit surprised after my problems in Q1." The Grand Prix starts later on Sunday at 1530 GMT. - 'Ridiculous' - Verstappen failed to make the cut from the second qualifying session, when it was halted by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll crash. Verstappen, knowing Norris had a chance to cut his championship points lead, was infuriated by the delay in showing the red flag, which came too late to continue the second session. "It’s ridiculous and it’s stupid to talk about it. That car hit the wall. It’s a straight red flag so why delay 40 seconds?" The Dutchman will start the race 17th after a penalty for taking a new engine. He was joined by teammate Sergio Perez as both Red Bulls missed the top-10 shootout along with last Sunday’s Mexico victor Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who exited in Q1. Norris’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri qualified eighth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in sixth and Alex Albon, who crashed heavily in his Williams. Two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who also crashed, was ninth for Aston Martin. The five red flags in qualifying equalled the record total set in qualifying at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – and extended the one-hour session by 45 minutes. The session began in steady rain and official "full wet" conditions. After several early incidents, a first red flag to halt the action in Q1 came when Franco Colapinto went into the barriers at Curva do Sol in his Williams. After a five-minute pause, the session resumed, and Norris required a last-gasp lap to squeeze into Q2 as both Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg missed the cut along with Hamilton, Colapinto and Zhou. The second session started in better conditions, and several drivers switched to intermediate tyres. Oscar Piastri set the pace in 1:25.179 before another red flag when Sainz, victorious in Mexico last Sunday, smacked the barriers in his Ferrari at Turn Two. He was unhurt. With five minutes remaining, Norris was languishing in 11th, but reacted by taking fresh intermediates to clinch his passage before Lance Stroll crashed to bring a third red flag. He was unhurt, but his Aston Martin suffered severe damage. It ended Q2 – and meant both Red Bulls were out, Verstappen in 12th and Sergio Perez 13th. Both were eliminated with Bottas, Sainz and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. The red flag also came out after two-time champion Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin and Albon's Williams both slammed into the barriers, leaving their teams facing rapid rebuilds to get their cars ready for the race. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sao Paulo Grand Prix: McLaren's Lando Norris start on pole; Red Bull's Max Verstappen on 17th

Charles Leclerc led Carlos Sainz home as Ferrari claimed a resounding one-two triumph in Sunday's United States Grand Prix after&nbsp;Lando Norris was relegated to fourth, having finished third on track ahead of title rival Max Verstappen who took the third podium spot.&nbsp;McLaren's Norris was penalised five seconds for gaining an advantage by leaving the track to pass the series leader and Red Bull's three-time champion on lap 53 of the 56-lap contest and dropped to fourth.&nbsp;

Verstappen has now extended his lead over Norris to 57 points in the drivers' championship with five races left this season.&nbsp;Leclerc came home 8.562 sec seconds ahead of Sainz with Verstappen third, adrift by 19.412 seconds, leaving Norris fourth ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and George Russell of Mercedes who finished sixth after starting from the pitlane.&nbsp;

Sergio Perez was seventh in the second Red Bull ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Haas, Liam Lawson of RB and Franco Colapinto of Williams.&nbsp;For Leclerc, it was a first victory in the United States, his third of the season and the eighth of his career while for Ferrari it was a first one-two in American since 2006.&nbsp;

"It wasn't&nbsp;an easy weekend up to now, I have been struggling with the feeling with the car, but I had confidence in the race," said Leclerc. "I am really happy with today, a 1-2 for the team, we couldn't have dreamed for better."

Verstappen said: "It was a difficult race for me. I never had the pace to attack and defending was quite difficult with understeer. It was a tough battle and tough to keep him (Norris) behind but it's a great result.&nbsp;"I have my opinion about his move, but I'll leave it to the stewards. I dont need to say anything here."&nbsp;

Norris made a good initial start from his fourth pole in five races, but left a critical gap on the inside which encouraged Verstappen to attack, forcing them both wide and allowing Leclerc to snatch the lead from fourth on the grid as they came through Turn One.&nbsp;

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<h2>- 'Give it back' -</h2>

Norris fell to fourth as Sainz also passed him on an eventful opening lap that saw Lewis Hamilton rise from 17th&nbsp;to 12th&nbsp;before he went off at Turn 19 on lap three, prompting an early Safety Car intervention.&nbsp; The Mercedes star had never previously failed to finish in 11 races in Austin.&nbsp; The race resumed on lap five, Leclerc pulling away to build his lead to three seconds by lap 10 with Verstappen resisting Sainz, who reported possible fuel problems and a loss of power.&nbsp;

Norris stayed fourth ahead of McLaren team-mate Piastri.&nbsp; By lap 20, as first the pit-stops began, Leclerc was 8.3 seconds clear of Verstappen with Sainz third, 1.3 adrift of the Dutchman. Norris was 3.6 adrift In fourth.&nbsp;

Sainz came in on lap 21 for hards, rejoining sixth. Verstappen stayed out until lap 26 rejoining fifth, Ferrari having executed their undercut. Leclerc then came in on lap 27 for hards, leaving Norris and Piastri leading the way. He was third.&nbsp;

As Norris pulled clear, Piastri frustrated Leclerc until lap 31 when Norris pitted. He rejoined fifth behind Verstappen and ahead of sixth-placed Russell who had not stopped.&nbsp; A lap later, Piastri pitted and order was restored with the Ferraris, led by Leclerc, in control ahead of Verstappen and both McLarens.&nbsp;

"These tyres aren't good, I can't brake or attack," reported Verstappen. Russell finally pitted on lap 41, rejoining eighth on mediums for the final stint as Norris closed in on Verstappen and they fought for third and vital points in their title scrap.&nbsp;

The duo battled fiercely for a dozen laps, the champion defending adroitly each time Norris attacked until lap 53 when, pushed wide and off-track, the Briton finally made his move stick to take third.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"He needs to give me it back," complained Verstappen on team radio as they battled on and the stewards studied the move before hitting Norris with a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Charles Leclerc led Carlos Sainz home as Ferrari claimed a resounding one-two triumph in Sunday's United States Grand Prix after Lando Norris was relegated to fourth, having finished third on track ahead of title rival Max Verstappen who took the third podium spot.

Charles Leclerc led Carlos Sainz home as Ferrari claimed a resounding one-two triumph in Sunday's United States Grand Prix after Lando Norris was relegated to fourth, having finished third on track ahead of title rival Max Verstappen who took the third podium spot. McLaren's Norris was penalised five seconds for gaining an advantage by leaving the track to pass the series leader and Red Bull's three-time champion on lap 53 of the 56-lap contest and dropped to fourth. Verstappen has now extended his lead over Norris to 57 points in the drivers' championship with five races left this season. Leclerc came home 8.562 sec seconds ahead of Sainz with Verstappen third, adrift by 19.412 seconds, leaving Norris fourth ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and George Russell of Mercedes who finished sixth after starting from the pitlane. Sergio Perez was seventh in the second Red Bull ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Haas, Liam Lawson of RB and Franco Colapinto of Williams. For Leclerc, it was a first victory in the United States, his third of the season and the eighth of his career while for Ferrari it was a first one-two in American since 2006. "It wasn't an easy weekend up to now, I have been struggling with the feeling with the car, but I had confidence in the race," said Leclerc. "I am really happy with today, a 1-2 for the team, we couldn't have dreamed for better." Verstappen said: "It was a difficult race for me. I never had the pace to attack and defending was quite difficult with understeer. It was a tough battle and tough to keep him (Norris) behind but it's a great result. "I have my opinion about his move, but I'll leave it to the stewards. I dont need to say anything here." Norris made a good initial start from his fourth pole in five races, but left a critical gap on the inside which encouraged Verstappen to attack, forcing them both wide and allowing Leclerc to snatch the lead from fourth on the grid as they came through Turn One. Also read: ‘Don’t leave tennis, man’ – Novak Djokovic bids goodbye to Rafael Nadal after ‘amazing rivalry’ - 'Give it back' - Norris fell to fourth as Sainz also passed him on an eventful opening lap that saw Lewis Hamilton rise from 17th to 12th before he went off at Turn 19 on lap three, prompting an early Safety Car intervention. The Mercedes star had never previously failed to finish in 11 races in Austin. The race resumed on lap five, Leclerc pulling away to build his lead to three seconds by lap 10 with Verstappen resisting Sainz, who reported possible fuel problems and a loss of power. Norris stayed fourth ahead of McLaren team-mate Piastri. By lap 20, as first the pit-stops began, Leclerc was 8.3 seconds clear of Verstappen with Sainz third, 1.3 adrift of the Dutchman. Norris was 3.6 adrift In fourth. Sainz came in on lap 21 for hards, rejoining sixth. Verstappen stayed out until lap 26 rejoining fifth, Ferrari having executed their undercut. Leclerc then came in on lap 27 for hards, leaving Norris and Piastri leading the way. He was third. As Norris pulled clear, Piastri frustrated Leclerc until lap 31 when Norris pitted. He rejoined fifth behind Verstappen and ahead of sixth-placed Russell who had not stopped. A lap later, Piastri pitted and order was restored with the Ferraris, led by Leclerc, in control ahead of Verstappen and both McLarens. "These tyres aren't good, I can't brake or attack," reported Verstappen. Russell finally pitted on lap 41, rejoining eighth on mediums for the final stint as Norris closed in on Verstappen and they fought for third and vital points in their title scrap. The duo battled fiercely for a dozen laps, the champion defending adroitly each time Norris attacked until lap 53 when, pushed wide and off-track, the Briton finally made his move stick to take third. "He needs to give me it back," complained Verstappen on team radio as they battled on and the stewards studied the move before hitting Norris with a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Charles Leclerc grabs win at US Grand Prix as Lando Norris, Max Verstappen clash

McLaren has decided to prioritise Lando Norris over teammate Oscar Piastri in the Formula One Drivers' Championship battle against Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Heading into this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Norris trails Verstappen by 62 points.

Mclaren ready to back Lando Norris' title bid

McLaren driver Lando Norris on Saturday claimed pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, pipping local favourite Max Verstappen into second in a thrilling qualifying session.

The British driver registered the fastest lap in one minute 9.673 seconds ahead of Verstappen's Red Bull who clocked 1min 10.029sec in windy and damp conditions on the Zandvoort circuit.

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Norris's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri will start in third place on the grid on Sunday, ahead of George Russell from Mercedes in fourth.

"We lacked a bit of pace. I'm still happy to be on the front row. It's tricky out there with the wind," said Verstappen.

"I'm happy with second. I think after yesterday, this was a good result," added the 26-year-old.

Verstappen will be competing in his 200th Grand Prix on Sunday but things did not all go his way at his home Grand Prix.

He has never been beaten in the three races held in the Netherlands since it was re-established on the circuit in 2021 and always started in pole position.

But he trailed in fifth during practice, complaining his Red Bull was lacking speed, with no clear path to improving performance.

After winning 19 races on a cruise to the 2023 world championship, Verstappen took seven of the first 10 in 2024, leaving many fearing a similar procession this year.

But he has suffered a lean spell by his own standards, without a win in the last four races -- his longest winless stretch since 2020.

He nevertheless enjoys a 78-point lead in the drivers' championship over closest rival Norris, who has admitted he faces an uphill climb to overhaul the Dutchman.

"I'm not expecting anything easy that's for sure," Norris told reporters after the qualifying.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

McLaren driver Lando Norris on Saturday claimed pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, pipping local favourite Max Verstappen into second in a thrilling qualifying session.

McLaren driver Lando Norris on Saturday claimed pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, pipping local favourite Max Verstappen into second in a thrilling qualifying session. The British driver registered the fastest lap in one minute 9.673 seconds ahead of Verstappen's Red Bull who clocked 1min 10.029sec in windy and damp conditions on the Zandvoort circuit. Also Read: Premier League 2024/25: Brighton stuns Manchester United with injury-time winner Norris's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri will start in third place on the grid on Sunday, ahead of George Russell from Mercedes in fourth. "We lacked a bit of pace. I'm still happy to be on the front row. It's tricky out there with the wind," said Verstappen. "I'm happy with second. I think after yesterday, this was a good result," added the 26-year-old. Verstappen will be competing in his 200th Grand Prix on Sunday but things did not all go his way at his home Grand Prix. He has never been beaten in the three races held in the Netherlands since it was re-established on the circuit in 2021 and always started in pole position. But he trailed in fifth during practice, complaining his Red Bull was lacking speed, with no clear path to improving performance. After winning 19 races on a cruise to the 2023 world championship, Verstappen took seven of the first 10 in 2024, leaving many fearing a similar procession this year. But he has suffered a lean spell by his own standards, without a win in the last four races -- his longest winless stretch since 2020. He nevertheless enjoys a 78-point lead in the drivers' championship over closest rival Norris, who has admitted he faces an uphill climb to overhaul the Dutchman. "I'm not expecting anything easy that's for sure," Norris told reporters after the qualifying. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula 1: McLaren driver Lando Norris grabs pole position for Dutch Grand Prix

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. The pair are friends off-track but fierce rivals on&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;race weekends and that boiled over at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring as they fought for the lead.

Stewards ruled triple world champion Verstappen was predominantly at fault for causing the collision and handed him a 10 second penalty, which had no impact on his result, as well as two penalty points. Verstappen, who dropped from first to fifth but now leads Norris by 81 points after 11 races, declared the penalty ridiculous and was backed up by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

"He (Norris) didn’t behave correctly there Max. Desperately unlucky, especially here, but you did your very best," he said over the team radio.

A disappointed Norris, who retired with a puncture and car damage, said it was a tough&nbsp;one&nbsp; to take and accused Verstappen of being reckless and desperate in his driving. "It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I lose a lot of respect for that," he told Sky Sports television when asked if their relationship would change.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen's behaviour, and moving while braking, was the result of the sport's rules being inadequately enforced years ago. "The problem behind it is that if you don’t address these things honestly, they will come back," the Italian said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-austrian-gp-george-russell-secures-surprise-win-after-norris-verstappen-collide-736546">Austrian GP: George Russell secures surprise win after Norris, Verstappen collide</a>

"They have come back today because they were not addressed properly in the past when there was some fights with Lewis (Hamilton in 2021) that needed to be punished in a harsher way. "We have so much respect for Red Bull, so much respect for Max, they don't need to do this. It's a way to almost compromise your reputation. Why would you do that?," added Stella.

"The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective, because when a car is out of the race as a consequence of this accident the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome."

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. The pair are friends off-track but fierce rivals on Formula One race weekends and that boiled over at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring as they fought for the lead. Stewards ruled triple world champion Verstappen was predominantly at fault for causing the collision and handed him a 10 second penalty, which had no impact on his result, as well as two penalty points. Verstappen, who dropped from first to fifth but now leads Norris by 81 points after 11 races, declared the penalty ridiculous and was backed up by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. "He (Norris) didn’t behave correctly there Max. Desperately unlucky, especially here, but you did your very best," he said over the team radio. A disappointed Norris, who retired with a puncture and car damage, said it was a tough one to take and accused Verstappen of being reckless and desperate in his driving. "It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I lose a lot of respect for that," he told Sky Sports television when asked if their relationship would change. McLaren boss Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen's behaviour, and moving while braking, was the result of the sport's rules being inadequately enforced years ago. "The problem behind it is that if you don’t address these things honestly, they will come back," the Italian said. Also read: Austrian GP: George Russell secures surprise win after Norris, Verstappen collide "They have come back today because they were not addressed properly in the past when there was some fights with Lewis (Hamilton in 2021) that needed to be punished in a harsher way. "We have so much respect for Red Bull, so much respect for Max, they don't need to do this. It's a way to almost compromise your reputation. Why would you do that?," added Stella. "The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective, because when a car is out of the race as a consequence of this accident the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome."

Austrian GP: Lando Norris says he will lose respect for Max Verstappen without apology

George Russell sneaked in a top podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris dramatically collided at the fag end of the race to gift the position to the Mercedes driver. McLaren's Oscar Piastri&nbsp;came in home P2 while Ferrari's Carlos Sainz held off Lewis Hamilton to secure the final podium position.&nbsp;

It was a disappointing home race for Red Bull and championship leader Verstappen who&nbsp;had to settle for the fifth position after being handed a 10-second penalty for allegedly making late moves under braking. Meanwhile, Norris was forced to retire after the back-and-forth battle with Verstappen led to a destroyed right rear for the McLaren car.&nbsp;

The incident transpired on uphill Turn 3 with seven laps to go in the 71-lap contest. Norris went to the left of Verstappen to take the racing line but the front right of Norris collided with the rear left of Verstappen. However, afterwards, the Dutch driver could be seen veering towards the left which caused significant damage to Norris' car.&nbsp;

Prior to the collision, Norris also received a five-second penalty for&nbsp;traversing track limits which ultimately counted for nothing as he had to retire the car.&nbsp;

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TeamLH has been talking about these antics since FOREVER 😭😭😭😭😭 excited to see the discourse today. <a href="https://t.co/nGKN4klI7q">pic.twitter.com/nGKN4klI7q</a>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-spanish-gp-max-verstappen-survives-mclaren-scare-to-finish-top-of-the-podium-734405">Also read |&nbsp;Spanish GP: Max Verstappen survives McLaren scare to finish top of the podium</a>

<h2>'Proud to be back'</h2>

Immediately after the collision, Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, could be heard telling Russell that he might just win the race, only to be shushed by the Briton, who dropped the 'F-bomb'.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A short 'Virtual Safety Car' ensured that Russell retained the leader despite a rampaging Piastri, attempting to cut the three-second deficit at the end of the race.&nbsp;

"Incredible, it was a tough fight, starting in third. I was watching on the big screen and knew Lando would try and get that race win, but the team has done a great job to get us in the fight," said Russell after the win.&nbsp;

"So proud to be back on the top step," added the British driver, who notched up Mercedes' last win in Brazil in 2022.

After Sunday's dramatic race, the action now moves to the crown jewel of the F1 circuit - the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next weekend. McLaren and Red Bull are expected to go toe-to-toe yet again as the gap has increasingly narrowed between Norris and Verstappen.&nbsp;

George Russell sneaked in a top podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris dramatically collided at the fag end of the race to gift the position to the Mercedes driver.

George Russell sneaked in a top podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris dramatically collided at the fag end of the race to gift the position to the Mercedes driver. McLaren's Oscar Piastri came in home P2 while Ferrari's Carlos Sainz held off Lewis Hamilton to secure the final podium position. It was a disappointing home race for Red Bull and championship leader Verstappen who had to settle for the fifth position after being handed a 10-second penalty for allegedly making late moves under braking. Meanwhile, Norris was forced to retire after the back-and-forth battle with Verstappen led to a destroyed right rear for the McLaren car. The incident transpired on uphill Turn 3 with seven laps to go in the 71-lap contest. Norris went to the left of Verstappen to take the racing line but the front right of Norris collided with the rear left of Verstappen. However, afterwards, the Dutch driver could be seen veering towards the left which caused significant damage to Norris' car. Prior to the collision, Norris also received a five-second penalty for traversing track limits which ultimately counted for nothing as he had to retire the car. TeamLH has been talking about these antics since FOREVER 😭😭😭😭😭 excited to see the discourse today. pic.twitter.com/nGKN4klI7q — deni (@fiagirly) June 30, 2024 × Also read | Spanish GP: Max Verstappen survives McLaren scare to finish top of the podium 'Proud to be back' Immediately after the collision, Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, could be heard telling Russell that he might just win the race, only to be shushed by the Briton, who dropped the 'F-bomb'. A short 'Virtual Safety Car' ensured that Russell retained the leader despite a rampaging Piastri, attempting to cut the three-second deficit at the end of the race. "Incredible, it was a tough fight, starting in third. I was watching on the big screen and knew Lando would try and get that race win, but the team has done a great job to get us in the fight," said Russell after the win. "So proud to be back on the top step," added the British driver, who notched up Mercedes' last win in Brazil in 2022. After Sunday's dramatic race, the action now moves to the crown jewel of the F1 circuit - the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next weekend. McLaren and Red Bull are expected to go toe-to-toe yet again as the gap has increasingly narrowed between Norris and Verstappen.

Austrian GP: George Russell secures surprise win after Norris, Verstappen collide

Max Verstappen resisted a spirited attack from Lando Norris on Saturday to claim victory for Red Bull in a feisty sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.&nbsp;

The series leader and three-time world champion delivered a home win at the Red Bull Ring with a fighting response after being passed by McLaren's&nbsp;Norris in the opening laps.

His win was his third sprint triumph this year, his fifth in succession and his 10th&nbsp;in 15 contests&nbsp;as he came home 4.616 seconds ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and 5.348 clear of Norris, who was unable to maintain his early speed.&nbsp;

"I had a good first lap," said Verstappen. "But once the DRS (Drag Reduction System) opened it took a few laps for me to get away and then I drove my own race. I had to work for it in that race and we have a few things to think about for tomorrow."

George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes. Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was seventh.&nbsp;

Sergio Perez came home eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Haas's Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.&nbsp;

Verstappen was given a rousing reception by the massed ranks of his 'orange army' in the grandstands, notably roaring with delight when he responded to snatch back his lead from Norris.&nbsp;

On a hot day in the Styrian Alps, Verstappen made a strong start from pole, after two formation laps, to lead through Turn One ahead of Norris with Piastri hustling his team-mate – and Sainz passing Russell for fourth.

The whole grid started on medium tyres, hoping to survive the rising temperatures and complete the distance of 24 laps, reduced to 23, without alarm.&nbsp;

The McLarens stayed in close proximity and threatened not only each other but the leader as they searched for space to pass, all three cars separated by less than six-tenths of a second.

Having made several moves, Norris finally found a way past the Dutchman at the top of the hill on lap five, but Verstappen responded immediately and regained the lead at the next corner allowing Piastri to use his momentum to take second.&nbsp;

Norris, who was feeling unwell before the race, was left struggling to resist the charging Sainz while Piastri set off in pursuit of Verstappen.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-a-massive-hunger-for-us-to-win-says-aiden-markram-on-facing-india-in-t20-world-cup-final-736195">‘There is a massive hunger for us to win’, says Aiden Markram on facing India in T20 World Cup Final</a>

By lap eight, the Mercedes were producing a measured helping of pace and this allowed Russell to pass Sainz on the outside of Turn Four for fourth with the help of Drag Reduction System (DRS).&nbsp;

Hamilton, in sixth, closed steadily on Sainz, who clung on while his Ferrari team-mate Leclerc rose from 10th&nbsp;to seventh, but was unable to make any further impression.&nbsp;

At the front, Verstappen relaxed after regaining control and moved out of DRS reach for Piastri who, by lap 15, was looking in his mirrors to see team-mate Norris closing in again. Verstappen led by two seconds.&nbsp;

As it unfolded, it was Verstappen controlling affairs and opening up a gap of more than four seconds as he cruised home before turning his attention to preparations for Grand Prix qualifying taking place later Saturday.

Max Verstappen resisted a spirited attack from Lando Norris on Saturday to claim victory for Red Bull in a feisty sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix. The series leader and three-time world champion delivered a home win at the Red Bull Ring with a fighting response after being passed by McLaren's Norris in the opening laps.

Max Verstappen resisted a spirited attack from Lando Norris on Saturday to claim victory for Red Bull in a feisty sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix. The series leader and three-time world champion delivered a home win at the Red Bull Ring with a fighting response after being passed by McLaren's Norris in the opening laps. His win was his third sprint triumph this year, his fifth in succession and his 10th in 15 contests as he came home 4.616 seconds ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and 5.348 clear of Norris, who was unable to maintain his early speed. "I had a good first lap," said Verstappen. "But once the DRS (Drag Reduction System) opened it took a few laps for me to get away and then I drove my own race. I had to work for it in that race and we have a few things to think about for tomorrow." George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes. Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was seventh. Sergio Perez came home eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Haas's Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin. Verstappen was given a rousing reception by the massed ranks of his 'orange army' in the grandstands, notably roaring with delight when he responded to snatch back his lead from Norris. On a hot day in the Styrian Alps, Verstappen made a strong start from pole, after two formation laps, to lead through Turn One ahead of Norris with Piastri hustling his team-mate – and Sainz passing Russell for fourth. The whole grid started on medium tyres, hoping to survive the rising temperatures and complete the distance of 24 laps, reduced to 23, without alarm. The McLarens stayed in close proximity and threatened not only each other but the leader as they searched for space to pass, all three cars separated by less than six-tenths of a second. Having made several moves, Norris finally found a way past the Dutchman at the top of the hill on lap five, but Verstappen responded immediately and regained the lead at the next corner allowing Piastri to use his momentum to take second. Norris, who was feeling unwell before the race, was left struggling to resist the charging Sainz while Piastri set off in pursuit of Verstappen. ALSO READ | ‘There is a massive hunger for us to win’, says Aiden Markram on facing India in T20 World Cup Final By lap eight, the Mercedes were producing a measured helping of pace and this allowed Russell to pass Sainz on the outside of Turn Four for fourth with the help of Drag Reduction System (DRS). Hamilton, in sixth, closed steadily on Sainz, who clung on while his Ferrari team-mate Leclerc rose from 10th to seventh, but was unable to make any further impression. At the front, Verstappen relaxed after regaining control and moved out of DRS reach for Piastri who, by lap 15, was looking in his mirrors to see team-mate Norris closing in again. Verstappen led by two seconds. As it unfolded, it was Verstappen controlling affairs and opening up a gap of more than four seconds as he cruised home before turning his attention to preparations for Grand Prix qualifying taking place later Saturday.

Austrian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen resists Lando Norris attack to win sprint race

Three-time world champion Max Verstappen delighted hordes of his vociferous supporters on Friday when he secured pole for Saturday's sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver clocked a best lap in one minute and 4.686 seconds to outpace nearest rival Lando Norris of McLaren by 0.093 seconds in hot conditions at the Red Bull Ring circuit, owned by Verstappen's team.&nbsp;

Oscar Piastri was third in the second McLaren ahead of George Russell of Mercedes, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, a disappointing sisth for Mercedes.&nbsp;

Sergio Perez was seventh for Red Bull ahead of Esteban Ocon and his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly.&nbsp;

"It’s good to be first here in front of all my home fans and in our home Grand Prix," said the 26-year-old Dutchman.

"It’s been a good day so far and it’s nice to drive the car. It feels well balanced and we only needed a few adjustments so all is going well.

"I’m not concerned about things and feel relaxed. Let’s see what happens tomorrow."

In a frantic, final few minutes, luckless Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc had a problem in the pit lane and was unable to cross the start line for his flying lap in time for it to count, leaving him down in 10th place.&nbsp;

"I don’t know what happened and the anti-stall switched off," said Leclerc. "I haven’t spoken to the team yet so I just don’t know."

On a hot afternoon in the Styrian Alps, with temperatures touching 28 degrees Celsius and rain threatening, Hamilton was first out on track ahead of Yuki Tsunoda and Valtteri Bottas, the Briton surviving a lurid slide at Turn One and an 'off' at Turn Six on his opening lap.&nbsp;

His time was disqualified for exceeding track limits before he resumed on his medium tyres after falling to 19th&nbsp;without a lap while Verstappen soared to the top ahead of Russell, the Dutchman clocking 1:05.690 to stay ahead of Russell by 0.074 seconds.

On his second run, Hamilton was 12th, barely comfortable, and he slipped to 13th&nbsp;as others improved, but enough to avoid joining both Saubers, Alex Albon of Williams, Nico Hulkenberg of Haas and Daniel Ricciardo of RB in taking an early exit.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/t20-world-cup-final-warning-signs-for-team-india-as-richard-kettleborough-set-to-officiate-in-summit-clash-736042">T20 World Cup Final: Warning signs for Team India as Richard Kettleborough set to officiate in summit clash</a>

The SQ2 session saw Verstappen stay on top ahead of Russell and Hamilton taking sixth behind Piastri, Sainz, and Leclerc with Norris and Perez seventh and eighth.&nbsp;

Out this time went Kevin Magnussen in the second Haas ahead of Lance Stroll and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin together with Yuki Tsunoda of RB and Logan Sargeant of Williams.&nbsp;

The top ten shootout began with Hamilton leading Russell down the pit-lane while late drama saw Leclerc halt before recovering in a race to join the fray within the time limit.&nbsp;

Leclerc failed to make it while on their flying laps, the Mercedes were outpaced by both McLarens with Verstappen claiming his eighth career sprint pole and second in succession in front of the adoring 'orange army'.

Three-time world champion Max Verstappen delighted hordes of his vociferous supporters on Friday when he secured pole for Saturday's sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Three-time world champion Max Verstappen delighted hordes of his vociferous supporters on Friday when he secured pole for Saturday's sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver clocked a best lap in one minute and 4.686 seconds to outpace nearest rival Lando Norris of McLaren by 0.093 seconds in hot conditions at the Red Bull Ring circuit, owned by Verstappen's team. Oscar Piastri was third in the second McLaren ahead of George Russell of Mercedes, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, a disappointing sisth for Mercedes. Sergio Perez was seventh for Red Bull ahead of Esteban Ocon and his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly. "It’s good to be first here in front of all my home fans and in our home Grand Prix," said the 26-year-old Dutchman. "It’s been a good day so far and it’s nice to drive the car. It feels well balanced and we only needed a few adjustments so all is going well. "I’m not concerned about things and feel relaxed. Let’s see what happens tomorrow." In a frantic, final few minutes, luckless Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc had a problem in the pit lane and was unable to cross the start line for his flying lap in time for it to count, leaving him down in 10th place. "I don’t know what happened and the anti-stall switched off," said Leclerc. "I haven’t spoken to the team yet so I just don’t know." On a hot afternoon in the Styrian Alps, with temperatures touching 28 degrees Celsius and rain threatening, Hamilton was first out on track ahead of Yuki Tsunoda and Valtteri Bottas, the Briton surviving a lurid slide at Turn One and an 'off' at Turn Six on his opening lap. His time was disqualified for exceeding track limits before he resumed on his medium tyres after falling to 19th without a lap while Verstappen soared to the top ahead of Russell, the Dutchman clocking 1:05.690 to stay ahead of Russell by 0.074 seconds. On his second run, Hamilton was 12th, barely comfortable, and he slipped to 13th as others improved, but enough to avoid joining both Saubers, Alex Albon of Williams, Nico Hulkenberg of Haas and Daniel Ricciardo of RB in taking an early exit. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup Final: Warning signs for Team India as Richard Kettleborough set to officiate in summit clash The SQ2 session saw Verstappen stay on top ahead of Russell and Hamilton taking sixth behind Piastri, Sainz, and Leclerc with Norris and Perez seventh and eighth. Out this time went Kevin Magnussen in the second Haas ahead of Lance Stroll and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin together with Yuki Tsunoda of RB and Logan Sargeant of Williams. The top ten shootout began with Hamilton leading Russell down the pit-lane while late drama saw Leclerc halt before recovering in a race to join the fray within the time limit. Leclerc failed to make it while on their flying laps, the Mercedes were outpaced by both McLarens with Verstappen claiming his eighth career sprint pole and second in succession in front of the adoring 'orange army'.

Austrian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen on pole as Lando Norris takes second for Saturday's spirnt race

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren's Lando&nbsp;Norris&nbsp;at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past but this time looks a tight battle between the two. The 11th round of the Formula One season is a sprint weekend, for the third time this year, with a 100km race at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring on Saturday before the main event on Sunday.

Red Bull's triple world champion, cheered on by his orange army of travelling fans, will hope to stretch the 69-point lead he enjoys over closest challenger&nbsp;Norris&nbsp;in the papaya-liveried McLaren. Norris&nbsp;has a point to make after taking pole in Spain last Sunday and finishing second. He was also runner-up in Canada -- both races the 24-year-old felt he should have won.

Spielberg is the shortest lap, in terms of time, on the calendar with Verstappen taking pole last year in just over 64 seconds. "On such a short lap it's going to be so tight," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. "We expect Mclaren and Lando to be fast again. Ferrari, Mercedes, who knows? If you look at the gap to those guys after the (Spanish) race it was pretty similar to last year. The one who's stepped up is Lando. "We're having to fight really hard for the wins at the moment and we're having to be on the top of our game as a team ..., that's Formula One, that's as it should be."

Winner in Miami in May,&nbsp;Norris&nbsp;was also runner-up in Imola and China while last year's Austrian race won by Verstappen, for the fourth time in six years, was where McLaren brought breakthrough upgrades. The Briton has now finished second 10 times in 23 races. He was 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen in Barcelona and 3.8 adrift in Canada. The gap at Imola was 0.7 and he beat the Dutch driver by 7.6 in Miami.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/copa-america-2024-lautaro-martinezs-late-strike-sends-argentina-into-quarterfinal-735153">Copa America 2024: Lautaro Martinez's late strike sends Argentina into quarterfinal</a>

Austria, and then Silverstone, are favourite circuits where he has gone well in the past. "We're on a good roll. We're doing well ... I need to just tidy up a few little bits and we'll be on top," he said in Spain. "I'm confident. Every weekend we go into now, the car's performing extremely well. We're always there or thereabouts within a couple of tenths of pole."

Verstappen and&nbsp;Norris's team mates, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri, will be hoping to get in on the act after disappointing results in Spain -- the Mexican only eighth and Australian seventh.

Mercedes and Ferrari should be in the mix, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton taking his first podium of the season with Mercedes in Spain and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz holding the race lap record at the Red Bull Ring, albeit from 2020.

"It is a very different circuit to last weekend," cautioned Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. "There is plenty of low to mid-speed content, punctuated by some longer straights. That will provide another challenge and reference point for our car."

The chaos of last year, with the results revised five hours after the finish following a flurry of penalties to nearly half the field for exceeding track limits, should no longer be a concern with a strip of gravel added to turns nine and 10.

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren's Lando Norris at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past but this time looks a tight battle between the two.

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren's Lando Norris at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past but this time looks a tight battle between the two. The 11th round of the Formula One season is a sprint weekend, for the third time this year, with a 100km race at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring on Saturday before the main event on Sunday. Red Bull's triple world champion, cheered on by his orange army of travelling fans, will hope to stretch the 69-point lead he enjoys over closest challenger Norris in the papaya-liveried McLaren. Norris has a point to make after taking pole in Spain last Sunday and finishing second. He was also runner-up in Canada -- both races the 24-year-old felt he should have won. Spielberg is the shortest lap, in terms of time, on the calendar with Verstappen taking pole last year in just over 64 seconds. "On such a short lap it's going to be so tight," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. "We expect Mclaren and Lando to be fast again. Ferrari, Mercedes, who knows? If you look at the gap to those guys after the (Spanish) race it was pretty similar to last year. The one who's stepped up is Lando. "We're having to fight really hard for the wins at the moment and we're having to be on the top of our game as a team ..., that's Formula One, that's as it should be." Winner in Miami in May, Norris was also runner-up in Imola and China while last year's Austrian race won by Verstappen, for the fourth time in six years, was where McLaren brought breakthrough upgrades. The Briton has now finished second 10 times in 23 races. He was 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen in Barcelona and 3.8 adrift in Canada. The gap at Imola was 0.7 and he beat the Dutch driver by 7.6 in Miami. Also read: Copa America 2024: Lautaro Martinez's late strike sends Argentina into quarterfinal Austria, and then Silverstone, are favourite circuits where he has gone well in the past. "We're on a good roll. We're doing well ... I need to just tidy up a few little bits and we'll be on top," he said in Spain. "I'm confident. Every weekend we go into now, the car's performing extremely well. We're always there or thereabouts within a couple of tenths of pole." Verstappen and Norris's team mates, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri, will be hoping to get in on the act after disappointing results in Spain -- the Mexican only eighth and Australian seventh. Mercedes and Ferrari should be in the mix, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton taking his first podium of the season with Mercedes in Spain and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz holding the race lap record at the Red Bull Ring, albeit from 2020. "It is a very different circuit to last weekend," cautioned Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. "There is plenty of low to mid-speed content, punctuated by some longer straights. That will provide another challenge and reference point for our car." The chaos of last year, with the results revised five hours after the finish following a flurry of penalties to nearly half the field for exceeding track limits, should no longer be a concern with a strip of gravel added to turns nine and 10.

Red Bull wary of McLaren's Lando Norris ahead of home Austrian race

Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead.&nbsp;

The race was special for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who returned to the podium for the first time this season, and the first time since the Mexican Grand Prix last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Red Bull had to dig deep and if it wasn't for Verstappen's opening lap push, the race could have gone the other way as Norris pushed for a dogfight till the very last lap of the race.&nbsp;

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<h2>Norris' opening lap woes</h2>

Norris started the race at the front of the grid but could not get out of the blocks quickly as Mercedes' George Russell took the lead at Turn 1. Verstappen, however, kept up with the pace and managed to take the inside line to go past the British driver a few minutes later on lap 3.&nbsp;

Norris lost the opportunity to win the race after the team took the gamble of staying out, behind Russell while the likes of Verstappen, and Hamilton preferred to pit early. Norris&nbsp;lost nearly four seconds sitting behind Russell and later had to endure a slow pit exit, which contributed to a second-place finish.&nbsp;

Despite the close nature of the finish, it was Verstappen's 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016.

"What made the race was the beginning, I took the lead on Lap 3, and then I had a buffer.&nbsp;That in that first stint, I could eke out the gap a little bit and after that, I had to drive a defensive race against Lando and McLaren," said Verstappen in the post-match interview.&nbsp;

"They were very quick today, and in the last few laps, they were very fast, but we did everything well.&nbsp;We drove quite an aggressive strategy, but luckily it played out in the end. It was quite close, but I am very happy to win," he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-mercedes-calls-police-to-investigate-email-accusing-team-of-deliberately-harming-lewis-hamilton-734145">Also read |&nbsp;Mercedes calls police to investigate 'email' accusing team of DELIBERATELY HARMING Lewis Hamilton</a>

Meanwhile, Norris, looking dejected by the result, conceded that it was the opening that cost him the race, akin to Imola and Canadian GP.&nbsp;

"I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight, I had to take to the grass a little bit, which lost me a bit of momentum, and then of course, we're braking quite late into Turn 1," he said.

McLaren and Norris would have the opportunity to get one better as the second of the triple-header race weekend moves to Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead.

Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead. The race was special for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who returned to the podium for the first time this season, and the first time since the Mexican Grand Prix last year. Red Bull had to dig deep and if it wasn't for Verstappen's opening lap push, the race could have gone the other way as Norris pushed for a dogfight till the very last lap of the race. Ice cold under the pressure 🥶#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/3EaLi1hLIx — Formula 1 (@F1) June 23, 2024 × Norris' opening lap woes Norris started the race at the front of the grid but could not get out of the blocks quickly as Mercedes' George Russell took the lead at Turn 1. Verstappen, however, kept up with the pace and managed to take the inside line to go past the British driver a few minutes later on lap 3. Norris lost the opportunity to win the race after the team took the gamble of staying out, behind Russell while the likes of Verstappen, and Hamilton preferred to pit early. Norris lost nearly four seconds sitting behind Russell and later had to endure a slow pit exit, which contributed to a second-place finish. Despite the close nature of the finish, it was Verstappen's 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016. "What made the race was the beginning, I took the lead on Lap 3, and then I had a buffer. That in that first stint, I could eke out the gap a little bit and after that, I had to drive a defensive race against Lando and McLaren," said Verstappen in the post-match interview. "They were very quick today, and in the last few laps, they were very fast, but we did everything well. We drove quite an aggressive strategy, but luckily it played out in the end. It was quite close, but I am very happy to win," he added. Also read | Mercedes calls police to investigate 'email' accusing team of DELIBERATELY HARMING Lewis Hamilton Meanwhile, Norris, looking dejected by the result, conceded that it was the opening that cost him the race, akin to Imola and Canadian GP. "I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight, I had to take to the grass a little bit, which lost me a bit of momentum, and then of course, we're braking quite late into Turn 1," he said. McLaren and Norris would have the opportunity to get one better as the second of the triple-header race weekend moves to Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Spanish GP: Max Verstappen survives McLaren scare to finish top of the podium

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has backed McLaren to give a tough fight to Red Bull in the current season as the Dutchman searches for his fourth consecutive title. Ahead of the upcoming Grand Prix in Monaco, Verstappen thinks McLaren and&nbsp;in&nbsp;particular&nbsp;Lando Norris have the ability to dethrone Red Bull from the top, having&nbsp;recently won the Miami Grand Prix. While Verstappen still leads the path in the driver’s&nbsp;championship, Norris will try to claim his second win of the season on Sunday.&nbsp;

<h2>Verstappen backs McLaren</h2>

"After their last few&nbsp;races&nbsp;they [McLaren] are really in the mix," he told reporters. "Of course they are quite a few points down at the moment&nbsp;but&nbsp;if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly.”

Despite Verstappen’s claim that McLaren is the closest rival to Red Bull, the current picture backs the defending champions to conquer another title.&nbsp;At the time of&nbsp;writing, Red Bull lead the Constructor’s Championship with 56 points over second-placed Ferrari&nbsp;while&nbsp;McLaren are third with 154 points.&nbsp;

In the Driver’s Championship, Verstappen&nbsp;is leading&nbsp;the chart with 161 points&nbsp;while&nbsp;Norris is fourth with 101 after seven races. However, he will be confident of his progress, having&nbsp;recently clinched his first win after finishing runner-up on 16 occasions. According to Norris, he and McLaren are not thinking about the&nbsp;Championship&nbsp;yet and will focus on giving the best shot for the team.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-ms-dhonis-stardom-blows-away-langer-says-the-hero-worship-in-india-is-unbelievable-724899">IPL 2024: MS Dhoni’s stardom blows away Langer, says ‘the hero worship in India is unbelievable’</a>

"We have not thought about it [the&nbsp;championship]&nbsp;at all&nbsp;over the last four weeks. You concentrate on getting a good result&nbsp;and&nbsp;things&nbsp;just&nbsp;play out for themselves," said Norris separately.

"We have definitely put ourselves in there. We lost a lot [of points] over the first couple of weekends, so that's hurt us, but we are about a third of the way through, so there are plenty of opportunities for us."

While eyes will be on Verstappen in Sunday’s race, Norris will be eager to make his mark&nbsp;yet&nbsp;again in Monaco. The Briton has been on the podium in four of the last five races and has not finished lower than eighth.

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has backed McLaren to give a tough fight to Red Bull in the current season as the Dutchman searches for his fourth consecutive title.

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has backed McLaren to give a tough fight to Red Bull in the current season as the Dutchman searches for his fourth consecutive title. Ahead of the upcoming Grand Prix in Monaco, Verstappen thinks McLaren and in particular Lando Norris have the ability to dethrone Red Bull from the top, having recently won the Miami Grand Prix. While Verstappen still leads the path in the driver’s championship, Norris will try to claim his second win of the season on Sunday. Verstappen backs McLaren "After their last few races they [McLaren] are really in the mix," he told reporters. "Of course they are quite a few points down at the moment but if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly.” Despite Verstappen’s claim that McLaren is the closest rival to Red Bull, the current picture backs the defending champions to conquer another title. At the time of writing, Red Bull lead the Constructor’s Championship with 56 points over second-placed Ferrari while McLaren are third with 154 points. In the Driver’s Championship, Verstappen is leading the chart with 161 points while Norris is fourth with 101 after seven races. However, he will be confident of his progress, having recently clinched his first win after finishing runner-up on 16 occasions. According to Norris, he and McLaren are not thinking about the Championship yet and will focus on giving the best shot for the team. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: MS Dhoni’s stardom blows away Langer, says ‘the hero worship in India is unbelievable’ "We have not thought about it [the championship] at all over the last four weeks. You concentrate on getting a good result and things just play out for themselves," said Norris separately. "We have definitely put ourselves in there. We lost a lot [of points] over the first couple of weekends, so that's hurt us, but we are about a third of the way through, so there are plenty of opportunities for us." While eyes will be on Verstappen in Sunday’s race, Norris will be eager to make his mark yet again in Monaco. The Briton has been on the podium in four of the last five races and has not finished lower than eighth.

Max Verstappen reckons McLaren will challenge Red Bull's supremacy, says 'they are really in the mix'

Three-time world champion and series leader Max Verstappen returned to winning ways on Sunday when he resisted a late charge by Lando Norris to take a dramatic victory for Red Bull at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.&nbsp;

After being beaten in Miami, where friend and rival Norris claimed his maiden victory for McLaren, the Dutchman resisted him to come home 0.725 seconds ahead of the Briton who mounted a rousing final attack in vain.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/preakness-2024-seize-the-grey-wins-after-holding-off-kentucky-derby-winner-mystik-dan-723113">Preakness 2024: Seize the Grey wins after holding off Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan</a>

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren, Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate George Russell.&nbsp;

Sergio Perez was eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and RB's Yuki Tsunoda, in his Faenza-based team's home event.&nbsp;

Verstappen's hard-earned win, after a difficult two days of practice, was his third at Imola, his fifth of the season and the 59th&nbsp;of his career, lifting him 48 points clear of Leclerc in the drivers’ title race.&nbsp;

"We did a great race considering how it started and I had to work hard for that," admitted Verstappen. "The whole race I pushed flat out to make a gap.&nbsp;

"I felt quite strong on mediums, but on the hards, it was more difficult to manage and the last 15 laps I had no grip and I was sliding a lot.&nbsp;

"I could see him behind me and I am super-happy to win here today."

Norris said: "It's frustrating! This feels more painful. It hurts me to say so, but with one or two more laps I think I’d have had him."

Leclerc, whose podium finish for Ferrari in their heartland was acclaimed by masses of tifosi, said: "At least a podium! Of course, I wanted to win and I didn’t make it.

"They were incredibly quick at the end, but it’s looking good for us for the rest of the season. Monaco is going to be special."

<h2>'I'm pushing'</h2>

On a very warm Spring day all but Perez began on medium tyres, the Mexican choosing ‘hards’ to go long after a desultory qualifying left him 11th&nbsp;on the grid.&nbsp;

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso started from the pitlane after late suspension changes while Piastri was fifth, penalised from second for obstructing Kevin Magnussen on Saturday.&nbsp;

As the lights went out, Verstappen surged clear while behind him Hamilton and Perez made up places during an incident-free opening as the world champion built an early advantage.&nbsp;

Verstappen’s relentless pace took him five seconds clear by lap 16 ahead of Norris who led Leclerc by 1.3 with Sainz fourth, resisting Piastri. The Mercedes’ pair were sixth and seventh ahead of Perez.

Russell was the first of the leading group to pit after 21 laps, having complained his tyres were shot.

Norris was next in on lap 23, coming out behind Perez, followed by Piastri and then Verstappen, on lap 25, shortly after the Dutchman was shown a black-and-white flag for exceeding track limits. One more offence would bring a five second penalty.&nbsp;

Verstappen re-joined fourth behind Leclerc, Sainz and Hamilton with Norris behind him, having passed Perez, before Leclerc pitted and Sainz inherited the lead briefly before pitting with Hamilton, who had run off at Acque Minerali.&nbsp;

This left Verstappen back on top at half-distance with a lead of 6.2 seconds on Norris, Leclerc and Piastri.

Having eased off to preserve his tyres, Norris mounted a late charge and trimmed Verstappen’s lead on successive laps to put him under intense pressure.

With seven laps to go, he was only two seconds adrift and closing in.&nbsp;

"I'm pushing as hard as I can mate," said Norris on team radio when encouraged to hunt a second victory.

Hard as he tried to turn the screw Verstappen scraped home on the day Formula One remembered the late great Ayrton Senna, who died in a crash at the circuit three decades ago.

Three-time world champion and series leader Max Verstappen returned to winning ways on Sunday when he resisted a late charge by Lando Norris to take a dramatic victory for Red Bull at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Three-time world champion and series leader Max Verstappen returned to winning ways on Sunday when he resisted a late charge by Lando Norris to take a dramatic victory for Red Bull at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. After being beaten in Miami, where friend and rival Norris claimed his maiden victory for McLaren, the Dutchman resisted him to come home 0.725 seconds ahead of the Briton who mounted a rousing final attack in vain. Also Read: Preakness 2024: Seize the Grey wins after holding off Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren, Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate George Russell. Sergio Perez was eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and RB's Yuki Tsunoda, in his Faenza-based team's home event. Verstappen's hard-earned win, after a difficult two days of practice, was his third at Imola, his fifth of the season and the 59th of his career, lifting him 48 points clear of Leclerc in the drivers’ title race. "We did a great race considering how it started and I had to work hard for that," admitted Verstappen. "The whole race I pushed flat out to make a gap. "I felt quite strong on mediums, but on the hards, it was more difficult to manage and the last 15 laps I had no grip and I was sliding a lot. "I could see him behind me and I am super-happy to win here today." Norris said: "It's frustrating! This feels more painful. It hurts me to say so, but with one or two more laps I think I’d have had him." Leclerc, whose podium finish for Ferrari in their heartland was acclaimed by masses of tifosi, said: "At least a podium! Of course, I wanted to win and I didn’t make it. "They were incredibly quick at the end, but it’s looking good for us for the rest of the season. Monaco is going to be special." 'I'm pushing' On a very warm Spring day all but Perez began on medium tyres, the Mexican choosing ‘hards’ to go long after a desultory qualifying left him 11th on the grid. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso started from the pitlane after late suspension changes while Piastri was fifth, penalised from second for obstructing Kevin Magnussen on Saturday. As the lights went out, Verstappen surged clear while behind him Hamilton and Perez made up places during an incident-free opening as the world champion built an early advantage. Verstappen’s relentless pace took him five seconds clear by lap 16 ahead of Norris who led Leclerc by 1.3 with Sainz fourth, resisting Piastri. The Mercedes’ pair were sixth and seventh ahead of Perez. Russell was the first of the leading group to pit after 21 laps, having complained his tyres were shot. Norris was next in on lap 23, coming out behind Perez, followed by Piastri and then Verstappen, on lap 25, shortly after the Dutchman was shown a black-and-white flag for exceeding track limits. One more offence would bring a five second penalty. Verstappen re-joined fourth behind Leclerc, Sainz and Hamilton with Norris behind him, having passed Perez, before Leclerc pitted and Sainz inherited the lead briefly before pitting with Hamilton, who had run off at Acque Minerali. This left Verstappen back on top at half-distance with a lead of 6.2 seconds on Norris, Leclerc and Piastri. Having eased off to preserve his tyres, Norris mounted a late charge and trimmed Verstappen’s lead on successive laps to put him under intense pressure. With seven laps to go, he was only two seconds adrift and closing in. "I'm pushing as hard as I can mate," said Norris on team radio when encouraged to hunt a second victory. Hard as he tried to turn the screw Verstappen scraped home on the day Formula One remembered the late great Ayrton Senna, who died in a crash at the circuit three decades ago.

Italian Grand Prix: Red Bull's Max Verstappen holds off McLaren's Lando Norris for thrilling win

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown has made a big claim ahead of the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, to be held this weekend in Italy. He believes Lando Norris, who won his first-ever F1 race in the Miami Grand Prix held early this month, would topple Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen in a 'straight fight' in upcoming times. Norris clinched a historic maiden victory in the Miami International Autodrome in Hard Rock Stadium in the first week of May, despite starting from fifth.&nbsp;

Thus, Norris will be in good head space entering the forthcoming race in Italy. Following the youngster's maiden F1 race win, McLaren CEO Brown has expressed his confidence in Norris' ability to challenge Verstappen. Brown believes Norris possesses the prowess to go head-to-head with the Dutchman.&nbsp;

<h2>I've not seen anyone faster than Lando:&nbsp;Zak Brown</h2>

In this regard, the CEO told Motorsport.com, "I do think Lando can beat Max in a straight fight. I think it would be an awesome fight, I think many races would end in tears – for one or the other, or both. But I think as far as raw talent can be, I've not seen someone faster than Lando."

Brown stressed that the Miami win would keep Norris in good stead and take him to greater heights in the near future. "For sure. There's something about when drivers get their first win. I remember from when I got my first win, now you know you've done it [the first win] just relaxes drivers and they don't have to try as hard. In anything, you can try too hard and that kind of works against you," he further opined.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-max-verstappens-dad-might-be-the-reason-if-at-all-he-decides-to-leave-red-bull-ex-driver-720980">Max Verstappen's dad might be the reason if at all he decides to leave Red Bull: Ex-driver</a>

Meanwhile, Norris himself sounded optimistic about McLaren's prospects for the remainder of the season with a win in Miami. Talking to SkySports at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, the 24-year-old opined that McLaren have it in them to challenge Red Bull&nbsp;and Ferrari for more race wins this year.&nbsp;

Norris said, "Absolutely, we can win more races this year. I think we can compete against Red Bull. I think we're looking at an exciting season between us, Red Bull and Ferrari. " He added, "I think we still have work to do and we're not at the level that they are just yet."

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown has made a big claim ahead of the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, to be held this weekend in Italy. He believes Lando Norris, who won his first-ever F1 race in the Miami Grand Prix held early this month, would topple Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen in a 'straight fight' in upcoming times.

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown has made a big claim ahead of the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, to be held this weekend in Italy. He believes Lando Norris, who won his first-ever F1 race in the Miami Grand Prix held early this month, would topple Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen in a 'straight fight' in upcoming times. Norris clinched a historic maiden victory in the Miami International Autodrome in Hard Rock Stadium in the first week of May, despite starting from fifth. Thus, Norris will be in good head space entering the forthcoming race in Italy. Following the youngster's maiden F1 race win, McLaren CEO Brown has expressed his confidence in Norris' ability to challenge Verstappen. Brown believes Norris possesses the prowess to go head-to-head with the Dutchman. I've not seen anyone faster than Lando: Zak Brown In this regard, the CEO told Motorsport.com, "I do think Lando can beat Max in a straight fight. I think it would be an awesome fight, I think many races would end in tears – for one or the other, or both. But I think as far as raw talent can be, I've not seen someone faster than Lando." Brown stressed that the Miami win would keep Norris in good stead and take him to greater heights in the near future. "For sure. There's something about when drivers get their first win. I remember from when I got my first win, now you know you've done it [the first win] just relaxes drivers and they don't have to try as hard. In anything, you can try too hard and that kind of works against you," he further opined. Also read: Max Verstappen's dad might be the reason if at all he decides to leave Red Bull: Ex-driver Meanwhile, Norris himself sounded optimistic about McLaren's prospects for the remainder of the season with a win in Miami. Talking to SkySports at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, the 24-year-old opined that McLaren have it in them to challenge Red Bull and Ferrari for more race wins this year. Norris said, "Absolutely, we can win more races this year. I think we can compete against Red Bull. I think we're looking at an exciting season between us, Red Bull and Ferrari. " He added, "I think we still have work to do and we're not at the level that they are just yet."

McLaren boss makes big claim, says Lando Norris can beat Max Verstappen in a 'straight fight'

McLaren have issued a statement, defending their decision to allow former US president Donald Trump to visit their garage at the Miami Grand Prix that concluded on Sunday (May 5) with a first top podium finish for Lando Norris. A section of Formula 1 fans, however, did not like the presence of Trump and criticised the British motorsport company.&nbsp;

Trump, who lives in Florida, was among the several VIPs to descend to the race track and the paddock in Miami. He was seen interacting with Norris while posing for photos with team chief executive Zak Brown in the pit lane outside the garage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Amid the online criticism, McLaren issued a statement saying that the organisation was honoured to host Trump at the request of the FIA boss.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“McLaren is a non-political organisation, however, we recognise and respect the office of President of the United States so when the request was made to visit our garage on race day we accepted alongside the president of the FIA and the CEO’s of Liberty Media and Formula 1," read the statement.&nbsp;

“We were honoured that McLaren Racing was chosen as the representative of F1 which gave us the opportunity to showcase the world-class engineering that we bring to motorsport," it added.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nationality-bias-in-f1-fernando-alonso-levels-serious-allegation-following-miami-gp-sprint-incident-718233">Also read |&nbsp;Nationality bias in F1? Fernando Alonso levels serious allegation following Miami GP sprint incident</a>

<h2>Norris’ lucky charm - Trump&nbsp;</h2>

Quizzed after the race where Norris managed to outpace Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win his maiden Formula 1 race, the British driver said Trump came to congratulate him.&nbsp;

"He came up to congratulate me. So I guess an honour, because whenever you have someone like this, it has to be an honour for them to come up to you, to take time out of their life, to pay their respect for what you’ve done," said Norris.&nbsp;

“He said he was my lucky charm because it’s my win, so I don’t know if he’s going to come to more races now. But there’s a lot of special people or cool people that have been here this weekend. Donald is someone that you got to have a lot of respect for in many ways," he added.&nbsp;

Trump, one of the most polarising figures in the US, has been on the campaign trail to secure a second term as the president. He has already secured the nomination from the GOP and would be going up against Joe Biden, later this year.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

McLaren have issued a statement, defending their decision to allow former US president Donald Trump to visit their garage at the Miami Grand Prix that concluded on Sunday (May 5) with a first top podium finish for Lando Norris.

McLaren have issued a statement, defending their decision to allow former US president Donald Trump to visit their garage at the Miami Grand Prix that concluded on Sunday (May 5) with a first top podium finish for Lando Norris. A section of Formula 1 fans, however, did not like the presence of Trump and criticised the British motorsport company. Trump, who lives in Florida, was among the several VIPs to descend to the race track and the paddock in Miami. He was seen interacting with Norris while posing for photos with team chief executive Zak Brown in the pit lane outside the garage. Amid the online criticism, McLaren issued a statement saying that the organisation was honoured to host Trump at the request of the FIA boss. “McLaren is a non-political organisation, however, we recognise and respect the office of President of the United States so when the request was made to visit our garage on race day we accepted alongside the president of the FIA and the CEO’s of Liberty Media and Formula 1," read the statement. “We were honoured that McLaren Racing was chosen as the representative of F1 which gave us the opportunity to showcase the world-class engineering that we bring to motorsport," it added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by McLaren (@mclaren) × Also read | Nationality bias in F1? Fernando Alonso levels serious allegation following Miami GP sprint incident Norris’ lucky charm - Trump Quizzed after the race where Norris managed to outpace Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win his maiden Formula 1 race, the British driver said Trump came to congratulate him. "He came up to congratulate me. So I guess an honour, because whenever you have someone like this, it has to be an honour for them to come up to you, to take time out of their life, to pay their respect for what you’ve done," said Norris. “He said he was my lucky charm because it’s my win, so I don’t know if he’s going to come to more races now. But there’s a lot of special people or cool people that have been here this weekend. Donald is someone that you got to have a lot of respect for in many ways," he added. Trump, one of the most polarising figures in the US, has been on the campaign trail to secure a second term as the president. He has already secured the nomination from the GOP and would be going up against Joe Biden, later this year. (With inputs from agencies)

‘We were honoured’: McLaren defend hosting Donald Trump during Miami GP amid backlash

Max Verstappen was expected to keep his winning run intact in the just-concluded Miami Grand Prix on the weekend. However, the Dutchman lost as McLaren driver Lando Norris clinched his maiden win in F1. It was a sweet victory for the Briton after the 24-year-old held the record for most podiums without a win (15). Notably, he ended as runner-up on a&nbsp;staggering eight occasions in 110 grand prixs.

Verstappen, who was a favourite, was on&nbsp;course to claim a fifth win in six races until a midway crash led McLaren to cash in on a safety car period, with Norris eventually coming out with a win. Despite the loss, the Dutchman remains&nbsp;optimistic of a turnaround&nbsp;and lauded Norris for his first-ever race win.

After the race, Verstappen said, "You win, you lose. I think we’re all used to that in racing, right?" Today was just a bit tricky. If a bad day is P2, I take it. I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming and it’s not going to be his last one, so he definitely deserves it today."

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Meanwhile, Norris was on cloud nine and stated, "About time! What a race. It's been a long time coming. Finally, I've managed to do it," Norris told Sky Sports. "I'm so happy for my whole team. I finally delivered for them."

He further opined, "Long day, tough race. Finally on top, so I'm over the moon. I'm just proud. A lot of people doubted me along the way."

"I've made a lot of mistakes over my last five years in my short career but today we put it all together," Norris added.

The win is&nbsp;huge for Norris given how Red Bull is dominating the ongoing season. Mercedes' seven-time&nbsp;world champion Lewis Hamilton settled for the sixth spot and RB's Yuki Tsunoda followed him in seventh. Aston Martin's double world champion Fernando Alonso claimed the ninth spot while Alpine's Esteban Ocon earned his struggling team their first point of the season crossing 10th.

The focus now moves to the Elimia Romagna GP, which is on May 19 in Italy.

Max Verstappen was expected to keep his winning run intact in the just-concluded Miami Grand Prix on the weekend. However, the Dutchman lost as McLaren driver Lando Norris clinched his maiden win in F1.

Max Verstappen was expected to keep his winning run intact in the just-concluded Miami Grand Prix on the weekend. However, the Dutchman lost as McLaren driver Lando Norris clinched his maiden win in F1. It was a sweet victory for the Briton after the 24-year-old held the record for most podiums without a win (15). Notably, he ended as runner-up on a staggering eight occasions in 110 grand prixs. Verstappen, who was a favourite, was on course to claim a fifth win in six races until a midway crash led McLaren to cash in on a safety car period, with Norris eventually coming out with a win. Despite the loss, the Dutchman remains optimistic of a turnaround and lauded Norris for his first-ever race win. After the race, Verstappen said, "You win, you lose. I think we’re all used to that in racing, right?" Today was just a bit tricky. If a bad day is P2, I take it. I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming and it’s not going to be his last one, so he definitely deserves it today." Also read: Rugby: New Zealand touch peak form with twin wins at Singapore 7s as Paris Games looms Meanwhile, Norris was on cloud nine and stated, "About time! What a race. It's been a long time coming. Finally, I've managed to do it," Norris told Sky Sports. "I'm so happy for my whole team. I finally delivered for them." He further opined, "Long day, tough race. Finally on top, so I'm over the moon. I'm just proud. A lot of people doubted me along the way." "I've made a lot of mistakes over my last five years in my short career but today we put it all together," Norris added. The win is huge for Norris given how Red Bull is dominating the ongoing season. Mercedes' seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton settled for the sixth spot and RB's Yuki Tsunoda followed him in seventh. Aston Martin's double world champion Fernando Alonso claimed the ninth spot while Alpine's Esteban Ocon earned his struggling team their first point of the season crossing 10th. The focus now moves to the Elimia Romagna GP, which is on May 19 in Italy.

Very happy for Lando Norris, says Max Verstappen despite losing Miami GP to McLaren driver

Mclaren’s&nbsp;Lando Norris has set his sights on the 2024 Formula One Championship as he thinks his side can challenge Red Bull for the championship. Norris has secured two podium finishes in&nbsp;2024&nbsp;including a second placed finish in the recently concluded Chinese Grand Prix.&nbsp;According to Norris, McLaren has all the substance to dethrone Red Bull in both the&nbsp;driver’s&nbsp;championship&nbsp;and the&nbsp;constructor’s&nbsp;championship.

<h2>Norris makes&nbsp;McLaren’s&nbsp;case</h2>

"I&nbsp;have already said it, I&nbsp;don't&nbsp;need any more confidence.&nbsp;There's&nbsp;more evidence [from China],"&nbsp;Norris told Sky Sports F1.

"I&nbsp;said&nbsp;it&nbsp;at the beginning of the year that I think we can fight against Red Bull&nbsp;and&nbsp;we'll&nbsp;be able to&nbsp;get a&nbsp;win this year.

"It's&nbsp;not going to come easy. I&nbsp;don't&nbsp;think it will come for a while, but right day, right time, good conditions, things which suit our car a little bit more - 100 per cent I have the faith in the team&nbsp;and&nbsp;I have the faith in my ability to be able to pull it off."

"But it does need to be right place, right time.&nbsp;I&nbsp;don't&nbsp;think&nbsp;on&nbsp;average&nbsp;we're&nbsp;close enough for the time being.&nbsp;But I want to believe."

Sunday’s&nbsp;podium finish was the British&nbsp;driver’s&nbsp;15th of the career,&nbsp;now&nbsp;extending his record for most podium finishes without winning a race. He had earlier leapfrogged Nick Heidfeld (13) during the Austrian Grand Prix for most podium finishes without winning the race. Another podium finish will see him break the record for most podium finishes before winning a race (eventually&nbsp;if he wins in the future).

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As things stand, he will next take to the track on 3-5 May during the Miami Grand Prix and&nbsp;will&nbsp;look to claim his maiden win.

Norris'&nbsp;hopes are set to be boosted by the arrival of&nbsp;McLaren's&nbsp;first significant upgrade package at the Miami Grand Prix, live on&nbsp;Sky Sports&nbsp;from May 3-5.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted before the start of the season that the Woking squad were behind where they wanted to be with the development of the MCL38, but confirmed&nbsp;in China that the upgrades will&nbsp;"finally"&nbsp;arrive in Florida.

Mclaren’s Lando Norris has set his sights on the 2024 Formula One Championship as he thinks his side can challenge Red Bull for the championship. Norris has secured two podium finishes in 2024 including a second placed finish in the recently concluded Chinese Grand Prix.

Mclaren’s Lando Norris has set his sights on the 2024 Formula One Championship as he thinks his side can challenge Red Bull for the championship. Norris has secured two podium finishes in 2024 including a second placed finish in the recently concluded Chinese Grand Prix. According to Norris, McLaren has all the substance to dethrone Red Bull in both the driver’s championship and the constructor’s championship. Norris makes McLaren’s case "I have already said it, I don't need any more confidence. There's more evidence [from China]," Norris told Sky Sports F1. "I said it at the beginning of the year that I think we can fight against Red Bull and we'll be able to get a win this year. "It's not going to come easy. I don't think it will come for a while, but right day, right time, good conditions, things which suit our car a little bit more - 100 per cent I have the faith in the team and I have the faith in my ability to be able to pull it off." "But it does need to be right place, right time. I don't think on average we're close enough for the time being. But I want to believe." Sunday’s podium finish was the British driver’s 15th of the career, now extending his record for most podium finishes without winning a race. He had earlier leapfrogged Nick Heidfeld (13) during the Austrian Grand Prix for most podium finishes without winning the race. Another podium finish will see him break the record for most podium finishes before winning a race (eventually if he wins in the future). ALSO READ | India vs Pakistan: Several venues in UK explore possibility of hosting Test series between two arch-rivals As things stand, he will next take to the track on 3-5 May during the Miami Grand Prix and will look to claim his maiden win. Norris' hopes are set to be boosted by the arrival of McLaren's first significant upgrade package at the Miami Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports from May 3-5. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted before the start of the season that the Woking squad were behind where they wanted to be with the development of the MCL38, but confirmed in China that the upgrades will "finally" arrive in Florida.

Formula One: We can fight against Red Bull, claims McLaren's Lando Norris after second podium in 2024

McLaren's Lando Norris said he was optimistic&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;champions Red Bull and Max Verstappen could be beaten this season but doing it repeatedly would be another matter. Red Bull won 21 of 22 races last year in the most dominant of championships, with only Ferrari's Carlos Sainz denying them a clean sweep, and triple world champion Verstappen triumphant a record 19 times.

Norris finished second six times and third once with team mate Oscar Piastri also runner-up in Qatar -- where the Australian won the sprint race -- as McLaren ended the season strongly after a slow start. The drivers were asked, after giving the new MCL38 car its first laps at a damp Silverstone&nbsp;on Wednesday, about their chances against Red Bull.

Aston Martin's technical director Dan Fallows had said earlier in the week that he considered Red Bull to be 'absolutely beatable' and the McLaren drivers agreed. "If you were to say 'are they beatable?' you're going to have to say yes, I think we want to believe to say yes, because we were very close at certain times (in 2023) and at certain times we did beat them," said Norris.

"The question is can we beat them over a season because I think that's going to be the challenging thing and I think that's going to be very difficult to do with how well they are performing. "So, yeah, optimistic. Possible to beat them at certain times, I want to believe so. Yes."

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Piastri agreed and said the team could be very optimistic if they could maintain the rate of development. "We also have to be aware it's not just Red Bull we're fighting," he added. "We were in a very intense battle with Mercedes and Ferrari especially in the second half of the year in terms of championship points.

"I think there will be other top teams making progress as well," added the Australian. Team principal Andrea Stella said he expected Red Bull to start the season in Bahrain on March 2 still "enjoying some advantage" because they had been able to switch their focus to the new car early in 2023.

Both drivers said their first impressions of the new car were positive, even if the track was wet and the tyres unrepresentative. "The main thing is I jumped in and felt very comfortable straight away, no surprises or anything," said Norris. "As these kind of days go, it was smooth sailing," said Piastri.

McLaren's Lando Norris said he was optimistic Formula One champions Red Bull and Max Verstappen could be beaten this season but doing it repeatedly would be another matter.

McLaren's Lando Norris said he was optimistic Formula One champions Red Bull and Max Verstappen could be beaten this season but doing it repeatedly would be another matter. Red Bull won 21 of 22 races last year in the most dominant of championships, with only Ferrari's Carlos Sainz denying them a clean sweep, and triple world champion Verstappen triumphant a record 19 times. Norris finished second six times and third once with team mate Oscar Piastri also runner-up in Qatar -- where the Australian won the sprint race -- as McLaren ended the season strongly after a slow start. The drivers were asked, after giving the new MCL38 car its first laps at a damp Silverstone on Wednesday, about their chances against Red Bull. Aston Martin's technical director Dan Fallows had said earlier in the week that he considered Red Bull to be 'absolutely beatable' and the McLaren drivers agreed. "If you were to say 'are they beatable?' you're going to have to say yes, I think we want to believe to say yes, because we were very close at certain times (in 2023) and at certain times we did beat them," said Norris. "The question is can we beat them over a season because I think that's going to be the challenging thing and I think that's going to be very difficult to do with how well they are performing. "So, yeah, optimistic. Possible to beat them at certain times, I want to believe so. Yes." Also read: Formula One: Signing Lewis Hamilton a ‘huge opportunity’ for Ferrari, reckons team boss Fred Vasseur Piastri agreed and said the team could be very optimistic if they could maintain the rate of development. "We also have to be aware it's not just Red Bull we're fighting," he added. "We were in a very intense battle with Mercedes and Ferrari especially in the second half of the year in terms of championship points. "I think there will be other top teams making progress as well," added the Australian. Team principal Andrea Stella said he expected Red Bull to start the season in Bahrain on March 2 still "enjoying some advantage" because they had been able to switch their focus to the new car early in 2023. Both drivers said their first impressions of the new car were positive, even if the track was wet and the tyres unrepresentative. "The main thing is I jumped in and felt very comfortable straight away, no surprises or anything," said Norris. "As these kind of days go, it was smooth sailing," said Piastri.

Formula One: Lando Norris optimistic McLaren can beat dominant Red Bull

McLaren's Lando Norris assured fans he would be fine for Formula One's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after crashing and being taken to hospital in Las Vegas on Saturday. The Briton hit the wall hard at high speed on lap three, triggering a safety car interlude in a spectacular race won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

"I just bottomed out on the restart (after a virtual safety car period), lost the rear and hit the wall," said the 24-year-old.&nbsp;"Big thanks go to the medical staff for checking me over, and to the team for the work they’ll now put in on the car. One week to reset and go again for the season finale in Abu Dhabi."

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Norris posted photos on Instagram of him at the hospital, with the words "Big impact. But feeling okay! Thanks for all the messages. See you next weekend." Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri took two precious points for the team with 10th place and the fastest lap.

Piastri had started 18th. "Two points isn’t many compared to those we have scored in recent weeks but they’re important in our battle for fourth," said team principal Andrea Stella.

"We now regroup, rest when we can, and prepare to go again in the season finale. We’re looking forward to a much smoother weekend in Abu Dhabi on a circuit that should be more favourable to our car."

McLaren's Lando Norris assured fans he would be fine for Formula One's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after crashing and being taken to hospital in Las Vegas on Saturday.

McLaren's Lando Norris assured fans he would be fine for Formula One's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after crashing and being taken to hospital in Las Vegas on Saturday. The Briton hit the wall hard at high speed on lap three, triggering a safety car interlude in a spectacular race won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. "I just bottomed out on the restart (after a virtual safety car period), lost the rear and hit the wall," said the 24-year-old. "Big thanks go to the medical staff for checking me over, and to the team for the work they’ll now put in on the car. One week to reset and go again for the season finale in Abu Dhabi." Also Read: Premier League: Injury-laden Newcastle good enough for win over Manchester United Norris posted photos on Instagram of him at the hospital, with the words "Big impact. But feeling okay! Thanks for all the messages. See you next weekend." Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri took two precious points for the team with 10th place and the fastest lap. Piastri had started 18th. "Two points isn’t many compared to those we have scored in recent weeks but they’re important in our battle for fourth," said team principal Andrea Stella. "We now regroup, rest when we can, and prepare to go again in the season finale. We’re looking forward to a much smoother weekend in Abu Dhabi on a circuit that should be more favourable to our car."

F1: McLaren's Lando Norris crashes car in Las Vegas Grand Prix, tells fans he's safe

Lando Norris took yet another second place at the US Grand Prix on Sunday but feared his resurgent McLaren team may now have missed their best chance of a win this season. The 23-year-old Briton has finished runner-up five times this year and six times in a Formula One career that remains without a victory.

Sunday's latest second came when stewards disqualified Mercedes' seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton from that position long after the podium celebrations at Austin's Circuit of the Americas.

If that was an unexpected bonus, with McLaren also overtaking Aston Martin for fourth place overall, Norris was still beating himself up for the one that got away two weeks earlier in Qatar, where he finished third after starting 10th.

Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri won the sprint at Lusail and was second in the main race.

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"I think Qatar was our best chance of winning a race. And I missed out on that one," Norris told reporters."I think there's no... Qatar-style circuits left which is where we're strong.

"If you looked at the GPS and the overlays of how bad we are in the slow speed I'm not looking forward to Brazil. I think we're going to be pretty shocking there."

Norris seized the lead from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, also later disqualified, at the first corner in Austin and led until the half distance when Red Bull's eventual winner Max Verstappen overtook him.

Verstappen went on to celebrate his 50th win and record-equalling 15th in 18 races this season.

The Dutch driver pointed out to Norris that the Briton had a good record in Abu Dhabi, which hosts next month's season-ender after rounds in Mexico, Brazil and Las Vegas. "Maybe Abu Dhabi, you never know. We'll see. I don't think they're any good ones for us coming up," said Norris, who is close to ousting now-retired German Nick Heidfeld for the record of most podium appearances without a win.

The Briton is now on 12, with Heidfeld taking 13 before he departed in 2011. Eight of the German's podiums were second places. "I think our best have gone. I just want to be hopeful that we can do good results and I think we can still fight for podiums but these guys (Red Bull and Mercedes) are too quick for me," continued Norris.

"We can look decent, but I think realistically we're not at that level as a general package with these guys. So yeah, not great ones coming up but Vegas, Abu Dhabi are probably the better ones."

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Lando Norris took yet another second place at the US Grand Prix on Sunday but feared his resurgent McLaren team may now have missed their best chance of a win this season.

Lando Norris took yet another second place at the US Grand Prix on Sunday but feared his resurgent McLaren team may now have missed their best chance of a win this season. The 23-year-old Briton has finished runner-up five times this year and six times in a Formula One career that remains without a victory. Sunday's latest second came when stewards disqualified Mercedes' seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton from that position long after the podium celebrations at Austin's Circuit of the Americas. If that was an unexpected bonus, with McLaren also overtaking Aston Martin for fourth place overall, Norris was still beating himself up for the one that got away two weeks earlier in Qatar, where he finished third after starting 10th. Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri won the sprint at Lusail and was second in the main race. Also Read: Serie A: Juventus go top after dramatic 2-1 win at Monza; Federico Gatti scores 94th minute winner "I think Qatar was our best chance of winning a race. And I missed out on that one," Norris told reporters."I think there's no... Qatar-style circuits left which is where we're strong. "If you looked at the GPS and the overlays of how bad we are in the slow speed I'm not looking forward to Brazil. I think we're going to be pretty shocking there." Norris seized the lead from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, also later disqualified, at the first corner in Austin and led until the half distance when Red Bull's eventual winner Max Verstappen overtook him. Verstappen went on to celebrate his 50th win and record-equalling 15th in 18 races this season. The Dutch driver pointed out to Norris that the Briton had a good record in Abu Dhabi, which hosts next month's season-ender after rounds in Mexico, Brazil and Las Vegas. "Maybe Abu Dhabi, you never know. We'll see. I don't think they're any good ones for us coming up," said Norris, who is close to ousting now-retired German Nick Heidfeld for the record of most podium appearances without a win. The Briton is now on 12, with Heidfeld taking 13 before he departed in 2011. Eight of the German's podiums were second places. "I think our best have gone. I just want to be hopeful that we can do good results and I think we can still fight for podiums but these guys (Red Bull and Mercedes) are too quick for me," continued Norris. "We can look decent, but I think realistically we're not at that level as a general package with these guys. So yeah, not great ones coming up but Vegas, Abu Dhabi are probably the better ones." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Motor Racing: Lando Norris fears McLaren may miss chance of win this season

Hungarian Grand Prix saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen winning his seventh consecutive Formula One race, with McLaren's Lando Norris coming second. The third place on the podium was won by Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. The three winners were at the podium, celebrating, when second-placed Norris accidentally broke Verstappen's winner's trophy.

Norris, during the traditional celebrations, slammed his bottle of champagne on the first step of podium a bit too hard. The trophy, which was kept on that step, fell on the floor and broke into a couple of pieces. Have a look at the video here:

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— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1683143232073375744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The porcelain trophies awarded to Hungarian GP winners costs around $44,000 each and six months to make. Norris, who saw the trophy broke, continued to spray champagne over winners in celebrations.

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When asked about the incident during the post-race conference, Norris wasn't much concerned with it.

"Errr, Max just placed it too close to the edge? I don't know, it fell over I guess," Norris said.

"Not my problem, it's his!"

As for the race, Verstappen, who is in unprecedented form this season, won the race despite starting second on the grid behind Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, who started at the pole, finished fourth in the race behind top three. McLaren's Oscar Piastri took the fifth position and Mercedes' George Russell finished sixth. Two Ferraris driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed top ten.

With the latest win, Verstappen, who is a double-defending champion this season, took Red Bull to their record 12th consecutive win. With the victory in Hungary, Red Bull surpassed McLaren's 11 consecutive win record set in 1988. Red Bull, which has won every single race this season, also have a shot at winning most race in a single season if they manage to win Belgian Grand Prix on July 30.

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Hungarian Grand Prix saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen winning his seventh consecutive Formula One race, with McLaren's Lando Norris coming second. The third place on the podium was won by Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Hungarian Grand Prix saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen winning his seventh consecutive Formula One race, with McLaren's Lando Norris coming second. The third place on the podium was won by Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. The three winners were at the podium, celebrating, when second-placed Norris accidentally broke Verstappen's winner's trophy. Norris, during the traditional celebrations, slammed his bottle of champagne on the first step of podium a bit too hard. The trophy, which was kept on that step, fell on the floor and broke into a couple of pieces. Have a look at the video here: It's bwoken! 😮😂#HungarianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/nTtgdfWX3o — Formula 1 (@F1) July 23, 2023 × The porcelain trophies awarded to Hungarian GP winners costs around $44,000 each and six months to make. Norris, who saw the trophy broke, continued to spray champagne over winners in celebrations. Also Read: WI vs IND: 'He took the initiative...' - Kishan reveals Kohli backed him to bat at No. 4 after maiden fifty When asked about the incident during the post-race conference, Norris wasn't much concerned with it. "Errr, Max just placed it too close to the edge? I don't know, it fell over I guess," Norris said. "Not my problem, it's his!" As for the race, Verstappen, who is in unprecedented form this season, won the race despite starting second on the grid behind Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, who started at the pole, finished fourth in the race behind top three. McLaren's Oscar Piastri took the fifth position and Mercedes' George Russell finished sixth. Two Ferraris driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed top ten. With the latest win, Verstappen, who is a double-defending champion this season, took Red Bull to their record 12th consecutive win. With the victory in Hungary, Red Bull surpassed McLaren's 11 consecutive win record set in 1988. Red Bull, which has won every single race this season, also have a shot at winning most race in a single season if they manage to win Belgian Grand Prix on July 30. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One: Second-placed Lando Norris breaks Hungarian GP winner Max Verstappen's trophy - WATCH

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