Lando Norris plays it very cool when asked on F1 title battle: ‘Won't matter once we're all dead'

Independent

2 days ago

Lando Norris has offered a remarkably philosophical take on his Formula One championship battle with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, declaring that the outcome ultimately matters little because "in 200 years we will all be dead".
Norris arrives at the final round before Formula One's three-week summer shutdown 16 points adrift of Piastri, whose title momentum surged after last weekend's rain-affected race in Belgium. Despite starting on pole, Norris was overtaken by Piastri in treacherous conditions.
With McLaren's current superiority, it is Piastri who has emerged as Norris's primary rival for this season's crown, holding six wins to Norris's four. When asked if he needs to get under the Australian's skin to secure his maiden F1 title, Norris replied: "I don't enjoy that. In 200 years no one is going to care. We'll all be dead.
"I am trying to have a good time. I still care about it, and that's why I get upset sometimes and I get disappointed and I get angry at myself. And I think that shows just how much I care about winning and losing. But that doesn't mean I need to take it out on Oscar. I just don't get into those kind of things."
Historically, intra-team title battles in F1 are fraught, but Norris maintains a pragmatic view. "Yes, he (Piastri) is the guy I want to beat more than anyone else," he admitted. "But if I don't beat him, then that's just because he has done a better job. I will do it the way I believe is best for me, and just because one person did it a few years ago, it doesn't mean you have to do that, too. I don't really care about those things."
At the Hungaroring on Friday, Norris demonstrated his prowess with an impressive practice double, narrowly beating Piastri by just 0.019 seconds in the first session before extending his lead to nearly three tenths later in the day. Norris has an unblemished record of never being out-qualified by a team-mate in his six previous visits to this circuit, a promising sign from his practice performance.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton, a record eight-time winner and nine-time pole-sitter in Hungary, struggled for pace. The 40-year-old, still seeking a podium in Ferrari colours, complained his car didn't "feel good" and ran off track after a major lock-up in the first session, ending the day sixth, three tenths and three places behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Max Verstappen, who recently committed his future to Red Bull for at least another season, also had an uncharacteristically difficult day, finishing a distant 14th in practice, 1.1 seconds slower than Norris. "I don't know what is going on," Verstappen radioed. "It is just undriveable." He also faced a stewards' investigation for throwing a towel from his cockpit but received only a warning.