Lando Norris vows to make ‘life difficult’ for Max Verstappen’s Red Bull at the Japanese GP

Lando Norris is aiming to score his second podium in succession this weekend.

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris (Via IMAGO)

Lando Norris aims to throw a wrench in Red Bull’s plans at the Japanese GP, following Max Verstappen‘s dominant pole position in Suzuka. Verstappen’s stellar performance sought redemption after his Singapore GP disappointment. He secured his second pole at the circuit with a substantial lead of nearly six-tenths of a second over McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Norris.

Having consistently topped the timing sheets throughout the weekend, Max Verstappen is determined to cap off Red Bull’s flawless performance with a win on Sunday. Nevertheless, McLaren, Red Bull’s closest rival during this event, aims to challenge the Dutchman’s aspirations, potentially thwarting Red Bull’s quest for their sixth world title.

In a post-qualifying interview moderated by former F1 driver Jean Alesi, Norris reflected on McLaren’s strong showing, saying, “A very good day for us as a team, P2 and P3 – a great job by Oscar. I was pretty happy with my laps; it’s a tricky circuit to put everything together.” Norris added, “I am happy; it’s a good day for the team and a good position for tomorrow.”

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Max Verstappen, still reeling from his Singapore setback, boldly declared that only a victory in Suzuka by a margin exceeding 20 seconds would set things right. Norris, on the other hand, is determined to prevent this scenario, asserting, “Red Bull are doing a very good job, and we hope to make their life difficult tomorrow.”

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Lando Norris aims to rekindle McLaren’s Suzuka legacy

Notably, this marked the fourth time this season that Lando was out-qualified by his rookie teammate, Oscar Piastri. Despite this, McLaren claimed the second and third grid positions behind Verstappen, fueled by their recent podium success. With upgrades to both cars, McLaren aims for a double podium at Suzuka, a track steeped in historical significance for the English team.

McLaren team pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (Credits: Racing News 365)

Recognizing Suzuka’s storied history with McLaren, Norris seeks to add another chapter to their success story, stating, “I mean, some of the most amazing McLaren stories come from here in Japan.” He emphasized their aspirations, saying, “So we’re, of course, hoping for a good result tomorrow, we want to continue that tradition but it’s going to be difficult.”

Starting from the second row, Norris acknowledged the complex demands of the Suzuka circuit, highlighting the satisfaction he derived from his laps. Suzuka’s unforgiving nature magnifies the impact of even the slightest error, underscoring the necessity for precision in every maneuver.