Lando Norris warns “people relax too much” as Red Bull threat looms

Lando Norris has warned against McLaren relaxing despite their red-hot form up against Red Bull.

Norris won the F1 Singapore Grand Prix at a canter after qualifying on pole position, his third race victory of the year.

He has cut the deficit to 52 points behind Max Verstappen, who tops the drivers’ championship but is currently no match for Norris’ pace.

Norris reacted on Channel 4 to Verstappen’s 52-point lead: “Only? That’s still a lot of points, especially when Max is finishing second. It doesn’t go down too quickly.

“I feel like I’ve been performing well in the past couple of months.

“Different circumstances have not led to me having results like [in Singapore]. But I feel like I’ve performed at this level in the past two, three, four weekends.

“I wish I could be closer in the championship. We’ve taken things on the chin, we move forward.

“I was quickest all weekend and dominated the race, it makes you feel good. It’s good motivation for the team.

“I am happy but we need to keep working hard because I’m sure Red Bull will catch up. I want my races to be nice and easy!”

McLaren have significantly overhauled Red Bull to top the constructors’ championship.

The fastest car in F1 is undisputedly the McLaren at the moment, and they are the favourites to claim the constructors’ even if Verstappen is able to hold Norris at an arm’s length in the drivers’.

But the gap of three weekends without a grand prix between Singapore and Austin will offer Red Bull a chance to reconsider their approach.

Norris admitted: “We are doing well, at the minute. I want to keep going! Screw the break, let’s go straight to Austin.

“The team are doing an amazing job but we’re up against Red Bull.

“People keep writing them off quickly and too easily.

“When you’re up against Red Bull, you’re up against Max. They have dominated the sport for the past several years.

“They are tough competition.

“I feel like people relax too much. When you’ve got Max and Red Bull behind you, pushing? They will do whatever they can.”

Norris was so supreme in Singapore that briefly kissing the barrier on two occasions was his only hiccup.

“It was a very good race. A couple of times I got too close to the walls,” he said.

“The car was so quick in the first stint, and I was managing it so well, that I wanted to push and create a lovely gap.

“Maybe I was pushing too much.

“I was comfortable, the car was good, I wanted to keep opening the gap.

“I wanted to open a pitstop window on Max, just in case I wanted to get the quickest lap at the end - which I had, until Daniel stole it from me!

“After I had a couple of moments, I just pegged it back and brought it home.”