Lando Norris channeled an infamous Max Verstappen quote to give a hilarious response when asked if he regretted not starting the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on Soft tyres.
The Brit lost second at the first corner to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who, unlike all the front runners, started on Softs.
Leclerc’s gaining of the position segued into an enthralling battle between the two that spanned much of the race, with Norris eventually gaining the upper hand on Lap 51.
However, Leclerc’s strategy was most certainly a gamble that, on paper, almost worked, having been firmly close to securing second.
Asked after that race if he regretted not starting on Softs also, Norris smiled and looked towards race-winner Verstappen.
“Who knows? What was it that you said once? ‘If your Mum had balls…”
“‘She’d be my Dad’?” Verstappen replied, laughing with Norris.
“Starting on the Soft, starting on the right side of the grid, you have the advantage into Turn 1 on the other side,” Norris explained. “After yesterday, obviously a little bit wary. I didn’t want to go too wide in Turn 1 because I didn’t want to end up in the gravel again.
“So yeah, I kind of had to just stay on the inside and stick to the safer route. But Charles did a good job and I got past. Who knows after that?
“I think I found it difficult enough just to get close to Charles and their pace wasn’t bad at all, until what, 10 laps to go, it was like six seconds off of Max.
“So it wasn’t like we were that far away or their pace was that fast. I think it was a good race. The pace was pretty close. I think that’s why it was so difficult is because we were quicker for sure, but not by a lot.”
Norris surprised he was able to overtake Leclerc a second time in US GP
Norris explained that he was trying to put Leclerc under pressure, which he primarily did through the final sector of the circuit for a number of laps, in the hope he could force the Monegasque driver into a mistake.
“He didn’t make many for sure,” he admitted, “but I think especially the final stint, I managed to get the tyres into a good window and draw back a few seconds, re-attack and I managed to kind of catch him a bit more off-guard, let’s say, with a couple of laps.
“So a good result in the end. For a minute I was not expecting to finish second. I thought he was just a bit too quick for us to get back into second and his pace was perfect.”
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