McLaren's Lando Norris thrilled with surprising podium finish in Austin

In a thrilling race, Norris seized the lead from Charles Leclerc on the opening lap and displayed impressive initial pace, opening up a comfortable two-second gap over the competition. However, a strategic tire change for the final two stints put him in a challenging position.

"Leading the race, I could control the pace, but it just wasn't enough today," Norris acknowledged to media. "But I am happy, it was a good race from my side. We knew our struggles, we knew what was going to be difficult, and it was just the degradation."

The Briton's early stint showcased strong performance, but he couldn't maintain it for the entire race. "The pace over 10 laps in the stint at the beginning was strong; I just couldn't hold on long enough. We are getting there, progress every weekend, just some more steps needed."

As the race unfolded, Max Verstappen from Red Bull stormed from a sixth-place start to claim victory, while Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, adjusted his strategy to make a late-race push.

Norris had to fend off Hamilton in the closing stages, defending his position into Turn 1 with a daring move before ultimately conceding. "I just tried to defend, but I couldn't do it. I didn't have any tires left at the end - you saw how quickly he pulled away at the end. I always had to look after my race and do the best I could; I had to manage the tires, and it was just too difficult."

Despite the challenges, Norris remained upbeat about McLaren's performance. "Maybe if it was a cooler track, it would have suited us a little bit more, but it wasn't. I am still happy; the team has done an excellent job. A podium here was better than we expected coming into the weekend, so very happy."

Looking ahead, the Formula 1 action continues with the Mexican Grand Prix set for the weekend of October 27-29 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. 

Known for its smooth tarmac that typically results in low tire degradation, the circuit emphasizes track position and tire selection due to the limited overtaking opportunities along its 4.304km lap. Formula 1 fans can anticipate another exciting race as the championship battle heats up.

 

Read More: Lewis Hamilton disqualified for driving 'illegal car' at US Grand Prix (planetsport.com)