Norris defends P7 finish as Verstappen wins in Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix turned out to be a dramatic weekend in Formula 1, filled with twists right from the opening lap. For McLaren, the race began on the back foot and never truly recovered. Lando Norris found himself finishing in seventh place, while his teammate and championship rival, Oscar Piastri, crashed out almost immediately after a poor start and an unfortunate collision with the barriers at Turn 5.
On paper, this looked like a golden chance for Norris to close the gap in the title fight. After all, Piastri was out of the running before completing a single lap. But when the checkered flag fell, Norris had only managed to take six points out of the Australian’s lead, trimming the margin from 31 points to 25. For some, this might have seemed like a missed opportunity. For Norris, however, that wasn’t the case.
Also Read:Speaking after the race, Norris insisted that seventh place was the maximum result possible given the circumstances. He explained that overtaking was nearly impossible in Baku, as he spent much of the final stages stuck behind a group of cars. Even strategy couldn’t provide an escape route, with a slow pit stop adding to his frustrations. In his words, “It was just too difficult to follow and overtake, so it didn’t really matter how quick the car was. We couldn’t really do anything more today.”
Norris also reflected on whether the day should be seen as an opportunity lost. His answer was firm: every race is an opportunity, but this one simply didn’t offer more. “I did everything I can. It’s not a missed opportunity. Today we just weren’t good enough and made too many mistakes yesterday,” he admitted, pointing to the team’s struggles during qualifying as a key factor.
While McLaren dealt with disappointment, Red Bull once again showcased their resilience. Max Verstappen stormed to victory, his second consecutive win, and moved closer in the championship standings. Now just 69 points behind, Verstappen has reinserted himself into the conversation, reminding everyone that Red Bull remain a formidable force despite McLaren’s recent form. Norris acknowledged this, noting that Red Bull’s upgrades were paying off and that their pace was still strong across various circuits.
The result leaves the title battle finely poised. Piastri remains in the lead on 324 points, Norris trails with 299, and Verstappen is closing fast with 255. For Norris, the focus is on consistency and extracting the maximum each weekend, even when circumstances don’t fall his way. He admitted that there are always small areas to improve, but insisted the effort and determination are never lacking.
In the end, Azerbaijan highlighted both the unpredictability of Formula 1 and the relentless fight at the top of the standings. For Norris, seventh place may not have been a standout result, but in a long season, every point counts. And with Verstappen closing in, the battle for the championship is set to become even more intense in the races ahead.
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