Lando Norris said he wants to win the world championship in style — despite admitting his advantage at the top of the standings puts him in “control” of the title race.
Norris is 24 points clear of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and 49 ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with 83 points left as the Formula 1 season reaches its climax.
The British driver can now afford to finish second to Piastri at all of the concluding three races of the year — starting at this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix — and still seal his maiden crown.
But Norris said: “What has served me so well recently is by going flat out, staying out of trouble and the chaos behind.
“It’s almost a safer bet. So protecting my championship lead is not the right mindset to have.
“I come here to win. I’ll go to the next race in Qatar to win. I will still treat it as if I’m not in a championship and that’s the mentality I’ll have.
“Of course, I feel a little bit more in control, but nothing changes because of whatever points I’ve got.”
Norris was 34 points behind Piastri when his engine expired at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on the final day of August.
But he has arrived for Saturday’s night race on the Strip as the grid’s in-form driver with successive victories from pole position in Mexico and Brazil.
Quizzed as to the turning point behind his campaign, Norris, who turned 26 last week, said: “It is hard not to do a better job than I was doing at the beginning of the season.
“I have a very strong group of people around me to support me, to direct me and help me whether I have had a good weekend or a bad weekend.
“I’m also more positive and less negative about when I have bad days and bad sessions. And I believe in myself that I can turn it around. I’ve done that a good amount of times now, and that’s a very reassuring feeling that I need.”
Verstappen is bidding to emulate Michael Schumacher by winning five consecutive titles, but, while he mathematically remains in the contest, he is the equivalent of two wins behind Norris.
“I am a long way behind, and there is not a lot I can do,” said Verstappen. “We need a lot of luck until the end, so personally I am not thinking about it too much.”
