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wWith barely any room to squeeze through the dozens-rows-deep crowd of journalists and photographers, the three heroes of the Formula One championship entered their first field of the weekend. The FIA can often lack common sense but, to the delight of everyone present, F1’s governing body put together a top three on Thursday. This became a background discussion rarely seen in modern-day sports press conferences.
Lando Norris, leading with 12 pointsTried his best to minimize the magnitude of the situation. “It’s the same as every weekend, nothing changes,” he began. max verstappen And Oscar Piastri, standing on either side of Britain, expressed a similar sentiment. This was all his years of media training at its simplest.
Moments later, a Brazilian reporter couldn’t help but comment: “You all say it’s a normal weekend, but, well… it’s not.” It seemed like the perfect cut-through moment.
Norris is on top on the brink Britain’s 11th F1 World Champion, in the sport’s 75th year, and first mclaren champion Since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. Verstappen could become the fourth man to win five world titles. Piastri, trailing by 16 points with only 25 points to play for, is looking to become Australia’s first champion in 45 years. Yes, this is no ordinary weekend.
Not least because of the last two rounds, in which McLaren have already caught both of their drivers in disastrous acts of self-sabotage. Firstly, with double disqualifications in vegasWhich, before last week, opened the door for Red Bull’s Verstappen strategy messed up In Qatar.
The latter error led to criticism of McLaren’s persistence – arguably to a fault – in not giving priority to any driver. It all gives rise to an exciting possibility on Sunday: with Norris needing only one podium, will Piastri step aside on his team’s instructions?
When asked the inevitable question after 10 minutes, Piastri smiled and quickly served in his team’s favor. “It’s not something we’ve discussed,” the laid-back Australian said. “I don’t have any answers until I know what’s expected of me.”
A day later, we now know the answer. McLaren CEO Jack Brown confirmed this on Friday team team will enforce ordersShould such a situation arise, Verstappen could be prevented from winning his fifth title. “We’re not going to ruin the drivers’ championship,” the American said.
Perhaps the Netflix microphones might find their way in, but it would be quite something to be a fly on the wall for McLaren’s customary pre-race meeting on Sunday morning. By that time, of course, the grid positions for the 58-lap Grand Prix will be determined.
“It’s up to the Oscars if he allows it, it’s not up to me,” Norris admitted before squeezing out an implicit message.
British F1 World Champion
- Mike Hawthorne (1958)
- Graham Hill (1962, 1968)
- Jim Clark (1963, 1965)
- John Surtees(1964)2
- Sir Jackie Stewart (1969, 1971, 1973)
- James Hunt (1976)
- Nigel Mansell (1992)
- Damon Hill (1996)
- Lewis Hamilton (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
- Jenson Button (2009)
“Would I be ready for this [cede position for a title] Or not? Personally, I’m just like that – I’m just like that. I’m not going to ask it because I don’t think it’s a fair question.
“But if it ends up like this and Max wins, then great for him, we’ll go next year. It wouldn’t change my life.”
This was a mantra uttered again and again by the 26-year-old. “My life won’t change,” he said. Twenty years after he first drove a go-kart, and after millions of pounds of investment from his parents and thousands of hours away from home, it was an idle comment to fool anyone.
That’s often how it feels with Norris, the baby-faced, mild-mannered Somerset racer who is keen to put on a tough exterior amidst the thunder of world championship battle. Many of the answers Thursday began with “I don’t know,” thankfully a more considered and detailed response. McLaren had dropped all other media charges for both drivers; There was really no excuse for lack of participation.
Graciously, he removed the wooden mask when asked about the deep emotion of Sunday’s occasion and the potential outcome: What would it mean to you to be F1 world champion?
Looking briefly to his left at the silver championship trophy, Norris admitted: “This has been my whole life, this is everything I’ve worked for. It would mean the world to me and to everyone who has inspired me for the last 16 years of my life to get to this point.
“It will mean everything… and it will be the reward for a lot of hard work.”
As for Piastri, he simply said it would be “pretty cool”. He added: “I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high. Max is most qualified to say that… but I think you move on too quickly.”
This was the second clearest tone of the half-hour quiz. Although all three broke ranks at times with quick-witted answers, the indomitable Verstappen has rarely looked more composed. The Dutchman meanwhile secured his first title drama 2021 And, should be typical Season-deciding chaos Come Sunday, he will undoubtedly be in the best position to deal with any situation that comes his way.
a year after that Sharp clash with George Russell hereVerstappen is in a different phase of his life. While Norris and Piastri relaxed over the past few days by playing golf and paddling, the Dutchman spent time preparing for his GT3 and simulator racing teams next year, as well as spending time with his six-month-old daughter.
Perhaps the magnitude of the occasion for each driver is best represented by the family members present. Obviously, the parents of both Norris and Piastri will be present on the Island of Yas on Sunday, but Verstappen, who finished 104 points behind in August, will have no such on-site support.
“My dad is rallying in Africa [competing in the East African Safari Classic in Kenya] And my mom is at home, happy with the dogs,” he said. ”They were not expected to come here – all plans were canceled after Zandvoort [in August],
“I don’t need him here to motivate me. My mom lights a candle before every race weekend… but I think she trusts her son.”
They would be right. Verstappen has all the speed, with five wins in the last eight races, and also knows when the pressure is at its highest. McLaren has already failed twice in this championship – for the third time Red Bull will receive the most immeasurable gift of the world championship.
It was only practice on Friday, but Norris carved out the thinnest of edges over the weekend. In the first session, he pipped Verstappen to the top spot by just 0.009 seconds and, a few hours later, his advantage in FP2 was 0.363 seconds. There would be more to the sessions than that, which would be enough to put Norris among the elite.