Lando Norris insists it won’t be a failure if McLaren team-mate and rival Oscar Piastri beats him to the world title.
Norris’ championship cost is again on monitor following his win from pole place on the earlier spherical in Austria.
Nevertheless, he nonetheless stays 15 factors adrift of Piastri forward of his dwelling race at Silverstone this weekend.
With Norris and Piastri pulling away from their rivals within the particular person standings – and McLaren 207 factors forward within the battle for the constructors’ title – Pink Bull workforce boss Christian Horner has already declared a two-horse race for the championship.
Norris began the season because the championship favorite with the bookmakers, however when requested if he thought it will be a failure if he didn’t land his maiden world crown this yr, the British driver replied: “I’d should say I didn’t reach attaining my aim, however I don’t assume you’ll be able to ever name it a failure as a result of I don’t imagine like I’ve failed something.
“I’ll really feel like I didn’t dwell as much as what I believed I might have carried out or the extent I ought to have reached at sure instances. However that’s not a failure by any means.
“If issues have been a lot simpler, and also you don’t obtain your aim, perhaps you’ll be able to name {that a} failure, however when it’s such a protracted season, competing in opposition to the perfect on the earth, I don’t assume you’ll be able to ever name not successful the title a failure.”
Now in his seventh season on the grid, Norris will make his one hundred and fortieth System One begin at Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
Errors by driver and workforce noticed Norris fall quick in his bid to beat Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen to the title final yr.
The errors have carried over for Norris this yr, notably in qualifying, which leaves query marks over his championship credentials.
Norris excelled in Austria, however he has by no means gained consecutive races.
He continued: “It is just regular you’re feeling the strain from the surface world, however that’s not totally different for me this yr.
“It’s extra the will, virtually an excessive amount of need inside, to need to do such a very good job each weekend. I need to accomplish that nicely, I need to ship for the workforce and I need to win. I form of put myself beneath an excessive amount of strain.
“You by no means know what to anticipate if you’re a child rising up desirous to be in F1. You don’t know concerning the laborious instances and the trickiness of attaining your objectives, particularly if you get so shut, how a lot you’ll be able to harm when issues don’t go your means. These issues persist with you a bit.”
Norris can be amongst 4 British drivers on the grid this weekend, however there’s a case to be made the McLaren man is the preferred of the quartet.
Norris has offered out his personal 10,000-seated space – the Landostand – at Stowe nook for the weekend.
“It’s very cool as a result of I acquired it earlier than Lewis (Hamilton) and George (Russell) in order that’s the perfect bit,” added Norris with a smile.
“It’s unimaginable. Initially there was a choose quantity of seats, they offered out virtually too rapidly, so we had to purchase after which promote a lot more.”
