Lando Norris is the favorite to win the Formula 1 title ahead of the three-way decider in Abu Dhabi, which also means he has the most to lose.
He and team-mate Oscar Piastri were both looking to win their first title, but Norris found himself comfortably 24 points ahead at last week’s Qatar Grand Prix, only to have his lead reduced to 12 points by the end of the race as Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen rejoined the fray.
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“Of course I have the biggest loss because I’m the top guy,” Norris said Thursday. “I’ll try to stay there until the end of the year and a few more days. At the same time, if things don’t go my way, then I’ll try again next year. It might be painful for a while, but that’s life.”
Norris denied he would ask Piastri to help ensure at least one McLaren driver became champion if it looked like Verstappen would take the title.
Verstappen’s chance arose again after McLaren made a strategic error in Qatar, a race after Norris and Piastri were disqualified in Las Vegas.
Relaxed Verstappen
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Verstappen, a contender who has been involved in final deciders, said he “enjoys being here” in a season where defending his title seems almost impossible.
“I have four at home, so it’s nice to add a fifth,” he said Thursday as he looked at the trophy standing next to him.
“I’ve achieved everything I wanted to achieve in F1 and everything is just a bonus. I just keep doing it because I love it, I enjoy it and that’s how I go into this weekend. Have fun and try to maximize the results.”
Verstappen was 104 points off the lead at one stage and three races ago he was uncompetitive in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix, missing out on another chance.
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Piastri persists
Piastri led by 34 points in August and looked set to become the first Australian champion in 45 years. He has gone eight games without a win since then.
With the championship just a hair away, Piastri may face the dilemma of whether to sacrifice his efforts in exchange for Norris. “I really didn’t have an answer until I knew what was expected of me,” he said.
Piastri showed good pace in Qatar last week to finish second, despite being left “speechless” after McLaren’s faulty strategy dominated a race.
“Obviously, something needs to happen for me this weekend to get the title,” he said, “but I’m going to make sure I’m in the right place at the right time and see what happens.”
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AP Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing