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Lando Norris Hits Back at Red Bull’s ‘Cheating’ Claims as McLaren Battles Vegas Challenges

Miguel Cunha by Miguel Cunha
January 9, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
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Lando Norris Hits Back at Red Bull’s ‘Cheating’ Claims as McLaren Battles Vegas Challenges

Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States - November 20, 2024 McLaren's Lando Norris during press conference ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Lando Norris isn’t holding back. The McLaren driver, embroiled in accusations leveled by Red Bull about the legality of his car, used his post-qualifying interviews at the Las Vegas Grand Prix to fire back with wit and sarcasm. With McLaren fighting to dethrone Red Bull’s dominance in 2024, the Woking-based team has been under scrutiny all season for alleged “tricks” to gain extra speed—claims that Norris and McLaren seem tired of addressing.


Norris Fires Shots at Horner and Red Bull

Speaking after qualifying sixth—his lowest starting position on pace since Spa—Norris delivered a pointed response to accusations about McLaren’s car. In particular, he referenced the bizarre claim that McLaren was using water to cool its tires, a theory that has sparked headlines.

“I know, it’s incredible,” Norris said with biting sarcasm. “Especially because we have the fastest car by a mile, right? So weird. Maybe it’s the water in the tires or something. All of this stuff. They’re right about everything.”

This wasn’t the first time McLaren’s car design has come under fire. Earlier this year, Red Bull raised questions about McLaren’s rear wing, which was later modified despite being initially deemed legal by the FIA. However, Norris’s remarks make it clear that he’s done entertaining such suggestions.


A Tough Qualifying in Las Vegas

Norris’s frustrations weren’t just reserved for the off-track drama. The Brit struggled to unlock McLaren’s usual pace on the slippery Las Vegas Strip Circuit, ultimately qualifying sixth—well behind pole-sitter George Russell and even Pierre Gasly’s impressive Alpine.

“It’s just this very low grip—it doesn’t suit us, doesn’t suit the characteristic of our car,” Norris admitted. “We have to drive the car on the perfect limit if we want to be quick. Normally when we do, we can be quick. Here, it’s just too difficult to get everything out of the car.”

Adding to the challenge, Norris explained that every lap came with a new set of issues, making it impossible to find consistency.

“Every lap there’s another issue or a different issue, and it was just too much of a challenge. It’s been a challenge the last two days. Nothing’s changed from yesterday. It’s just others have turned up and gone lower fuel and things like that.”


Responding to Questions About Mentality

As the season nears its end, Norris has faced increasing scrutiny over his mentality and ability to handle the pressure of competing with Max Verstappen for the drivers’ championship. However, the 24-year-old was quick to dispel any notion that his mindset was to blame for his Vegas struggles.

“Maybe it wasn’t our best Q3,” he conceded. “I made a couple of small mistakes, but [they were] mistakes which were very difficult to avoid. It was just too difficult to put a clean lap in because I’m trying to go quicker, but at the same time, I’m trying to not make any mistakes. And a mistake around here can easily be a tenth or two tenths gone.”


McLaren vs. Red Bull: The Battle for Supremacy

For McLaren, being accused of bending the rules comes with the territory of challenging Red Bull’s dominance—something Mercedes experienced during their 2020 and 2021 battles. While Christian Horner and Red Bull continue to scrutinize McLaren’s innovations, the FIA has repeatedly cleared McLaren’s car, aside from the rear-wing revision earlier this season.

Despite the noise, McLaren remains a formidable contender in both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, with Norris spearheading the charge.


Looking Ahead to Race Day

Although qualifying didn’t go to plan, Norris remains focused on maximizing opportunities during Sunday’s race. Las Vegas is known for its unpredictability, and the long race ahead offers plenty of chances to recover.

“It’s a long race tomorrow, a lot can happen,” Norris said. “We’ll look ahead to what we can achieve.”

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