Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix, attributing part of his success to effectively managing a safety car restart and maintaining his lead over Max Verstappen, despite acknowledging his rustiness in such situations due to infrequent experiences leading from the front in recent years.
Highlights
‣ Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix, with a significant contribution from the safety car’s intervention, managing to stay ahead of Max Verstappen after the restart.
‣ Norris admitted to being a bit rusty with safety car restarts from the front, as he hadn’t been in that position for a few years, but vowed to improve for future races.
‣ Despite initial challenges, Norris was confident in his pace, especially after gaining clean air and benefiting from fresher tyres, which helped him maintain his lead against Verstappen.
Lando Norris, eh? He clinched the Miami Grand Prix, and let’s just say the safety car played its part. Right after that car ducked off, things got spicy. Max Verstappen, eyes wide open, nearly snatched the lead back. But, Norris? He kept his cool and stayed in front.
Post-race, Norris spilled the beans on that heart-racing restart.
So, here’s the deal. After the safety car vanished, Norris had the green light to dictate the pace. But, oops, he might’ve hit the gas at a kinda awkward moment. Verstappen saw his chance and pounced. Norris admitted he’s a bit out of practice with these safety car restarts. “Not done many of these bad boys in front,” he confessed. “A tad rusty, I guess.” He vowed to brush up on this skill, though. “Next time, I’ll be sharper. But hey, I nailed it in Turn 1 and kept my nose ahead. That’s what counts, right?”
Norris on restart
“Rusty or not,” Norris mused, “I managed to keep my lead after that restart. Just gotta polish up those skills for the next race. But, defending my spot into Turn 1? Nailed it. After that, I was pretty stoked and confident about pulling away.”
Norris didn’t stop there. He dived into the race’s nitty-gritty. “The start? Not my best. Stuck behind a parade of cars,” he said. But then, the tide turned. “Got some fresh air, slapped on fresher tyres, and boom, I was off. Max usually has this trick where he starts slow and then – whoosh – he’s off like a rocket. Not this time, though.”
In a nutshell, Norris had his moments of doubt but ultimately, he kept Verstappen in his rearview mirror. Despite a few hiccups and a self-confessed need for a bit of a brush-up on restarts, he owned the Miami Grand Prix. And from the sound of it, he’s only gearing up to get better.
