⁠F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Norris Frustrated, Says He 'Should Have Won' Barcelona Race

Norris couldn't turn his second pole position into a win in Spain and faced another loss to Verstappen. Despite this, the McLaren driver has consistently challenged the Dutchman recently.

Lando Norris's dream of winning the Spanish Grand Prix vanished as quickly as the starting lights went off. Despite clinching the coveted pole position, his hopes for dominance were shattered at the first turn of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where he lost ground to his rivals. Determined to reclaim his lead, Norris and McLaren opted for an aggressive strategy, extending his initial stint on the track to leverage fresher tyres later in the race. This bold approach forced Norris to fight his way through the pack after his pit stop, putting him at a disadvantage from the start. Despite a tenacious effort and a spirited drive, Norris couldn't quite overcome the early setback. He finished in a commendable second place, yet the promise of another victory left a bittersweet aftertaste on the podium.

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In the post-race interview, Norris said: 'A frustrating start, simple as that. I lost a little bit to Max, he wasn’t completely alongside but with George on the outside, I didn’t have room to manoeuvre and that had me over. It’s disappointing, but there are still a lot of positives to take away from Barcelona. We come away with a lot of points and the car was amazing today, I think we were the quickest out there, so a big thanks to the entire team for their efforts throughout the weekend.'

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Since his breakthrough win in Miami, Lando Norris has been in exceptional form, establishing himself as Max Verstappen's closest rival. In three of the last four races, he has consistently finished second to the Red Bull driver, showcasing an impressive and consistent performance. This remarkable streak has elevated Norris in the championship standings, pushing him past Ferrari's Charles Leclerc into the runner-up position. However, despite his regular podium finishes, Verstappen remains the dominent leader on the track. Norris faces a significant challenge, trailing the championship frontrunner by a considerable 69 points.