Lando Norris’ title hopes took a hit with McLaren’s double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but Jolyon Palmer has pinpointed an earlier moment from the race where the British driver fell for Max Verstappen’s ‘mind games’.
The title fight was swung wide open upon the FIA’s ruling that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s F1 cars had sustained too much wear on the underbody plank during the 50-lap excursion around the Las Vegas Strip circuit.
Max Verstappen’s victory saw him move to within 24 points of the championship-leading Norris, and joint on points with Piastri, who once led the Dutchman by 104 points earlier in the year.
Norris was able to take first blood in Nevada through his clinching of pole position in Friday night’s qualifying shootout.
However, it didn’t take long for Verstappen to answer back once the lights dropped to mark the start of the Grand Prix.
Jolyon Palmer highlights where Lando Norris fell for Max Verstappen’s ‘mind games’
During Jolyon Palmer’s analysis of the opening stages of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on F1TV, the former F1 driver pinpointed Norris’ mistake at turn one, which allowed Verstappen to waltz into the lead of the race.
The 26-year-old misjudged his braking point as he overshot his entry into the first corner on the Las Vegas Strip, and suffered for it for the rest of the race.
In his analysis, Palmer said, “The threat of Max on the inside is enough that Lando is so focused on coming across. It’s a bit dirtier as well on the inside line, and there he goes off the track on the outside.
“So the mind games, the thoughts going on before the start of the race on a run like this, cold temperatures, tyres not fired up, dirty on the inside, it’s really tricky.
“And for Norris, the absolute worst man he could possibly wish for on his inside was Verstappen at this point.
“Max has nothing to lose in the championship. He has to beat Lando to keep any level of pressure on. In fact, that’s got a lot more after this race. Lando knows that if Max has half a chance, he will just send it.”
Lando Norris could secure the 2025 F1 title at the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix
Despite Verstappen’s charge since the recommencement of racing at the summer break, it may have come a little too late for him to secure a fifth consecutive world title.
With just two rounds remaining of the current term, Norris can wrap the title fight up at the upcoming race weekend in Lusail if he manages to outscore both Verstappen and Piastri over the course of the Sprint race and Grand Prix.
If he proves to be unsuccessful, he runs the risk of leaving it up to the season-closer in Abu Dhabi to claim his maiden world title. And with that, there’s no guarantee what could happen on race day to derail his championship hopes.
- READ MORE: Lando Norris sent one radio message to McLaren that ruined his Las Vegas GP victory hopes
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