McLaren F1 legend Mika Häkkinen admired the team’s future star. While reviewing the Russian GP, Häkkinen praised Lando Norris for his incredible race. In a battle for victory, Lando fought for his first while Lewis tried to get his hundredth. The last minute rain helped Hamilton prevail, but the Sochi weekend belonged to Norris.
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Norris’ calm on the team radio was only the harbinger of the eventual storm. Although the rain ruined the driver’s first win, his Racecraft deserves praise. In his third season with the sport, Norris defended against a 7-time world champion. Hakkinen watched this incredible feat and declared Norris to be innocent.
Formula 1 F1 – Russian Grand Prix – Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia – September 26, 2021 McLaren’s Lando Norris during the REUTERS / Maxim Shemetov race
The flying Finn said: “I felt sorry for Lando Norris, who drove brilliantly all weekend, took pole position in difficult conditions and dominated the race until it rained.” While it’s easy to blame Norris for the strategic calls towards the end of the race, Häkkinen believes otherwise.
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The former McLaren driver made things clear from Lando’s point of view. “It’s easy to criticize, but when you’re trying to get your first Formula 1 victory, you have often faced difficult decisions. In this case, the decision to quit felt harder than the decision to move on and try to get the win. “
Hakkinen praised Norris’ skills on a slippery track and praised the British. “Lando has great control of the car, especially when it is wet. So it all came down to how sure he was and how much risk he was willing to take. “
Lando Norris is not to blame
While it is easy to assign the blame for the mishap, the situation would be different if you stepped into Norris’ football. For the first time in his Formula 1 career, the 21-year-old led a Grand Prix. As the dominant driver on a wet track, Norris had to turn a slightly wet situation into a heavy downpour with three laps to go. Three laps from what a first win could have been.
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The decision to leave this expected position had to be a difficult one. Hoping the odds would be in his favor, Norris took a gamble. As Häkkinen explained, “Whatever the team thinks, the driver knows how much grip there is in the car… Lando felt that he might be able to get the car to the finish – especially when Lewis Hamilton pitted . “Stop for intermediate tires.”
Formula 1 F1 – Russian Grand Prix – Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia – September 26, 2021 McLaren’s Lando Norris during the REUTERS / Anton Vaganov race
Still, Norris showed what he is capable of: the top position. Though it was a heartbreaking result for the driver, the memory would engrave itself on Lando’s mind; a learning experience for his impending F1 victory. Häkkinen also relies on the young driver: “I have no doubt that Lando’s first victory is not far away. He can be proud of his performance on Sunday.
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The pace in the MCL35M paired with the driver’s fueled hunger, Lando Norris is not far from his first victory. For Norris, the season is not over yet.
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The post McLaren F1 Legend launches strong defense of Lando Norris amid heavy criticism in Sochi first appeared on monter-une-startup.
