Lando Norris Admits Red Bull Problem Before Crucial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Title Showdown

Despite the 12-point lead that Norris holds over closest rival Verstappen, there is clearly a wariness regarding just how fast his Red Bull rival was in qualifying.

McLaren Racing

The last time that the F1 Drivers' Championship went down to the wire, in 2021, Max Verstappen was able to claim his maiden championship despite it seeming like all of the cards were stacked against him.

With the gap between the Dutchman and Norris standing at 12 points - the McLaren star on 408 to Verstappen's 396 - it means that if Norris finishes third or above, his title is secure regardless of where Verstappen finishes.

The dominant pole position-clinching performance from Red Bull's number one, where he beat both McLarens by over two tenths of a second, was enough for Norris to mention just how impressive the Austrian team looked immediately after stepping out of the car.

Red Bull could be 'too quick' for McLaren on raceday

While Red Bull have looked impressive at Abu Dhabi, with both cars making it into Q3 despite Tsunoda's struggles, they are only in third place in the Constructors' Championship. | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

One of the first things that Norris was wiling to highlight going into the most important race of his career, is just how fast his closest competitor has looked throughout the full race weekend so far.

Despite underlining that the Red Bull's speed was intimidating, Norris was happy to outline his mentality and tactics for raceday, reasoning that his 12 point advantage in the championship means that he can finish where he started, 2nd, and still claim the title without needing to push for a win.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, he said:

"I'm hoping we can be a bit quicker [in the race] tomorrow, otherwise, Red Bull were too quick... I know what I have to do... I don't need to take any risks and hopefully I can use that to my advantage."

Max Verstappen was in a championship predicament in 2021, and ended up beating Hamilton to win his first title - now he has the opportunity to win his fifth. | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

When queried by Sky Sports on if his Dutch competitor would pull any mind games either before or during the race, Norris emphasized that his only focus was going to be on what he can do, and not any plans from any other driver.

"There's no point thinking about [mind games] too much. I will sit with my guys and girls and see how we can best prepare for tomorrow and prepare for every eventuality."

With the news that Zak Brown has allowed team orders to apply if either of his drivers are in a position to win the title, and throwing away the 'equality' of papaya rules, it is most likely that Norris will be further benefitted by the fact that his team-mate Oscar Piastri, who could not clinch pole, probably won't look for a risky move going into Turn 1 or be overly aggressive throughout the race.

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