Norris Rejects Mindset Change: 'I'll Do What I Like' Amid Vegas Doubts

Lando Norris has pushed back against suggestions he needs a mindset shift, reiterating his expectation that the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix will be a challenging weekend for McLaren. Despite leading the drivers' championship by 24 points with three rounds left, Norris remains grounded in his assessment of the team's prospects at a venue where they struggled significantly last year.

Why it matters:

Norris's comments highlight a tension between realistic assessment and maintaining positive momentum during a title challenge. His refusal to sugarcoat expectations, especially at a critical juncture in the season, offers a glimpse into his direct approach and potentially the team's cautious optimism, rather than a forced, overtly positive narrative.

The details:

• Following his recent win in Brazil, Norris indicated that the track conditions in Las Vegas are unlikely to favor McLaren, citing their struggles there in 2023.
• This candid assessment led to questions about whether he needed to adopt a more positive mindset for the upcoming event.
• Norris firmly refuted this, stating, “No, I can say what I want. I can think what I want. I always try and be as honest as I can be.”
• He emphasized that his opinion is based on past performance: “If I don't think we're going to be quick, I don't think we're going to be quick.” He also clarified he wasn't predicting a poor finish, but rather a difficult path to victory.
• Historical Performance: In the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023, Norris crashed out. In last year's edition, he finished sixth, 43 seconds behind race-winner George Russell, demonstrating a significant pace deficit.
• Norris's stance is rooted in data: “We were a long way off - just go and look at the data from last year. Look at the race traces, we were miles off.”
• He further defended his honesty, pointing out that McLaren hasn't won every race this year, making his cautious outlook reasonable given the team's historical performance at the venue.

What's next:

Norris's frankness sets a clear expectation for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. While his championship lead is solid, a challenging weekend could tighten the standings. His approach underscores a desire for genuine assessment over manufactured positivity, suggesting that McLaren's strategy will be firmly grounded in addressing their known weaknesses at the track rather than relying on wishful thinking.

• The team will undoubtedly be working to mitigate the issues encountered in previous Vegas races.
• His assertion, “I’ll do what I like,” suggests that he will continue to voice his genuine opinions, regardless of external pressure to adopt a different approach.
• The true test will be McLaren's performance on track, which will either validate Norris's caution or potentially provide a pleasant surprise.