Lando Norris can win maiden F1 title after going into ‘overdrive’ with Mexico Metropolis GP win, says Martin Brundle

Lando Norris has confirmed he can win this 12 months’s Formulation 1 Drivers’ Championship by discovering “an overdrive gear” throughout his dominant Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix victory, in keeping with Sky Sports activities F1’s Martin Brundle.

Norris regained the championship lead from his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri for the primary time since April and the Brit heads into the ultimate 4 rounds of the season, beginning with this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, having completed forward of the Australian in 5 successive races.

The hole between the McLarens on the high of the standings is only a level, with Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen nonetheless a menace from 36 factors off the lead in third regardless of having completed outdoors the highest two in Mexico for the primary time in six races.

Whereas Norris had been on the rostrum at three of 4 races previous Mexico, the 25-year-old hadn’t gained because the final race earlier than the summer season break in Hungary, and Brundle was impressed by the dominant style through which he managed the race after claiming pole place.

“I thought it was an outstanding weekend for Lando,” Brundle mentioned on Sky Sports activities’ The F1 Present. “If we might have seen that sort of efficiency from Max or Lewis, we might have talked about it in hushed tones as a result of it was excellent.

“You typically hear me speak about, after I’ve commentated on championship showdowns, that a number of of the combatants, the principle members, appear to search out an overdrive gear by some means. And that was Lando’s overdrive.

“Max seems to have the overdrive engaged at all times. But I just thought that qualifying lap, the perfect start, defending into the most difficult first corner of the year, heading off into the distance was just perfect, and just the sort of statement and confidence booster he needs right now.”

Sky Sports activities F1 pundit and 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve agreed with Brundle, praising Norris’ response to failing to capitalise on Piastri’s retirement from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September.

Piastri endured a disastrous weekend as he crashed in each qualifying and the race in Baku, however Norris solely completed seventh after making a few essential errors of his personal.

“It was a statement weekend,” Villeneuve mentioned. “You know, the weekends we’re used to seeing from Max and that we saw a little bit from Lando last year when he was fighting Max.

“I suppose the get up name for him was Baku – not reacting, not capitalising on a nasty weekend from Oscar. And I feel that put some chilly water on his face and he got here again stronger as if he was combating Max final 12 months.

“And he’s on a roll. He made a step in Singapore, another step in Austin. And it was marvellous in Mexico. When a driver gets in that zone, they become unbeatable.”

‘Lando finishing the complete set of playing cards’

Since rising as one of many sport’s high drivers, Norris has confronted questions on whether or not he has the psychological software to match his pace.

Poor begins hampered his makes an attempt to chase down Verstappen in final 12 months’s title battle, whereas Norris inflicting an pointless collision with Piastri earlier this season was one other expensive lapse.

Brundle believes the exhausting work Norris has finished with McLaren on maximising his efficiency is now displaying.

“It’s a pressure game,” Brundle mentioned. “That is the identical in any high-level sport. It is largely in your head in the long run.

“But a year ago, I’d have said no with Lando. But he and the team have done so much work on this aspect. And just the way he’s batted away disappointment because, whatever they say, Baku was a wasted opportunity. Obviously, the contact in Canada hurt him. He couldn’t do anything about the engine failure in Zandvoort. And he obviously couldn’t do anything about getting clouted in Austin.

“However he is managing that. Even the booing on the finish of the race, which I discovered considerably weird. He is simply discovering a method to compartmentalise that, package deal it up, not let it get to him.

“Lando of a year or two ago wouldn’t have handled the start as well as that. I think he’s really sort of completing the full set of cards there.”

Villeneuve: Norris’ self-criticism is an excellent power

Norris has typically been criticised for being overly destructive about his personal performances, however Villeneuve believes it was the Brit’s toughness on himself that has caused enchancment.

“We are too quick to judge on the psychic of a driver just because of what we see on the outside,” Villeneuve mentioned. “But that doesn’t mean that’s what’s going on internally.

“Lando was at all times very vocal about his errors, even after they weren’t (his fault), he was truly taking the blame. And all people judged that as him being so weak and overwhelmed and down.

“I always thought, no, actually, being able to admit, to go out like that, to always take the blame, that’s how you make progress.

“Solely proudly owning your personal errors, and even those that are not yours, that is the way you truly step up, perceive. What can I do totally different so I do not get into that scenario once more?

“It’s not a weakness. It’s a super strength to be able to blurt it out like that. But in modern society and social media, you just get blasted, ‘oh, look how weak he is, he’s talking down on himself.’

“Effectively, no, that wasn’t weak point.”

Formula 1’s thrilling title race continues in Brazil with a Sprint weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from this Friday, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime