"I can beat Max Verstappen": Lando Norris pulls back the curtain on what went through his mind when he won his first F1 race

McLaren driver Lando Norris revealed that winning his first race at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix instilled the belief that he could beat the Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on track. Despite multiple chances to win his maiden race at the pinnacle of motorsport, it took him his sixth season to claim the achievement.

The Brit had been rapid throughout the Sprint weekend but was unlucky in the race and the main qualifying, as he started from outside the Top 5. However, he took advantage of a safety car, which allowed him to make his only pit stop and come out in front of the Dutch driver to lead the race and ultimately win at the Miami International Autodrome.

Speaking with F1.com in an exclusive interview, one year after his victory in Miami, Lando Norris reflected upon his achievement and the change in mentality following it, saying:

“The joy, the relief… I’m a guy who has to kind of see something to believe it, you know? Did I think I could win a race? Yes. But did I ever go into [one] really believing I’m going to win? No. So, after achieving one, that gave me a bit more of the belief, like, ‘Okay, I can win a race in F1, and I can beat Max.’"

“Was I a bit lucky in Miami with the Safety Car and things? Yes. But that’s the way of racing. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t… sometimes you just have the boring races, and you’ve got to qualify well. At the end of the day, no matter how (I did it), I won a race in F1," Norris added.

Lando Norris went on to win three more times in the 2024 season but was unable to mount a title challenge to Max Verstappen and stop the latter from winning his fourth consecutive Drivers' championship.

Lando Norris reflects upon his 2024 title challenge to Max Verstappen

F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia - Qualifying - Source: Getty

McLaren driver Lando Norris conceded that he should have made better decisions in the second half of the 2024 season but stated that Red Bull driver and championship rival Max Verstappen deserved the title.

As quoted by the aforementioned source, the 25-year-old opened up about his challenge and said:

“I think [over] the second half of last year, I learned the most about being back at the front, performing under pressure, and racing against the best in the world. We learn a lot more there than when we’re at the back doing other things. Could I have made better decisions? Yes. Did I? No. Max deserved to win it, and I didn’t."

Lando Norris ultimately finished P2 in the championship and was 63 points behind the Red Bull driver, and only managed to finish ahead of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc by 18 points.