Lando Norris fired back at a reporter after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, after his decision to question McLaren’s favourites status was placed under the microscope
Lando Norris told a reporter ‘I can say what I want’ after revealing he doesn’t expect McLaren to be favourites at the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. The British driver secured back-to-back victories on Saturday and Sunday, completing an impressive clean sweep in Brazil.
Norris now enters the season-ending triple header with momentum behind him and a 24-point advantage over team-mate Oscar Piastri, who sits second in the World Championship standings. The Bristol-born racer claimed both pole positions and won both races at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace throughout the weekend.
However, as he prepares for Las Vegas, he remains cautious. After all, he crashed out early at the street circuit’s inaugural event in 2023, and watched Max Verstappen seal the title as he crossed the line sixth there last year.
Norris addressed McLaren’s prospects in the post-race press conference in Sao Paulo, rejecting the team’s status as favourites for the race in two weeks’ time. A reporter challenged this, but the Brit hit back to defend his position.
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“No, I can say what I want, I can think what I want,” Norris replied. “I tell you what I always am, I always try to be as honest as I can be. If I don’t think we’re going to be quick, I don’t think we’re going to be quick. And I’m not saying I’m going to be 10th, I’m just saying I think it’s going to be difficult to win.
“We were a long way off. Just go and look at the data from last year, look at the racetrace, we were miles off. And there’s been plenty of races where we’ve not been quick enough this year, so it’s not like we’ve won every single race and you’re expecting me to say those things.
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“I’m just giving my opinion on ‘Do I think it’s going to be as easy?’ I won last weekend by 30 seconds, very, very easy. I won today by pushing a lot more, only 10 seconds, and Max was probably the quickest out on track today.”
Norris continued: “I’m giving my opinion, I’m giving my honest opinion on how I think we’re going to be. We’ve never been good there, so I’m not the most confident about going into this race.
“Maybe I’ll win, then we’ll see. But I’m not going to lie and say ‘yeah, I’m very confident and I think it’s going to be an easy weekend’ because I don’t think that’s how it’s going to be. So no, I mean, you’re very right to have your own opinion on what you think I should say and what I should not say and whatever, but I’ll do what I like.”
