Lando Norris has “ignored everyone that has talked crap about him” after dominating the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to tighten his grip on securing a first Formula One world championship.
Norris arrived in Brazil holding a slender one-point lead over McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
But he will head for Las Vegas in a fortnight’s time leading by 24 points with only 83 available across the final three rounds after he followed up his sprint win on Saturday with another dominant display in the main event.
Piastri crashed out of the sprint, and then finished fifth on Sunday, after he served a 10-second penalty for colliding with Kimi Antonelli. Max Verstappen fought back from a pit-lane start to third with a typically brilliant drive, but he has now fallen 49 points off the championship pace.
Norris appeared to be crumbling under the weight of expectation in his superior McLaren.
However, the 25-year-old is delivering when it matters most — with his win here his second in a row following an equally dominant triumph in Mexico.
And when asked how he has found such form, Norris replied: “Just ignore everyone that talks crap about you and focus on yourself.”
Norris was 34 points behind Piastri when his engine expired in Zandvoort on the final day of August, though he can now afford to finish second to his McLaren team-mate at the final rounds in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, as well as the sprint race in Doha, and still take the title.
Norris continued: “We are pushing hard every single weekend and I’m pushing hard away from the track.
“It is rewarding because it doesn’t come easy. To be honest, I don’t think we were the quickest today but I’m glad to take home the win. It has been a perfect weekend.”
Pressed on whether he is now starting to dream of being crowned world champion, a cautious Norris said: “No, not at all.
“It is a great win but seeing how close Max was, it is disappointing that we were not quicker today.
“That is where my mindset is at the moment. There is a long way to go and it can change so quickly. I will focus on myself, keep my head down, ignore everyone else and keep pushing.”
