If Lando Norris thought his mental fortitude and ability to withstand the pressure of a tense title race was under scrutiny following a few dodgy qualifying performances this season, he is going to find himself under a microscope now.
A “stupid” crash, by his own admission, into the back of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, with three laps remaining of Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, cost the Briton at least 10 points in the driver’s championship, putting a serious dent in his title hopes. More significantly, the incident has ramped up the conversation about whether the 25-year-old is world champion material.
You had to feel for Norris, who after a poor qualifying session on Saturday had driven beautifully from seventh on the grid in Montreal, on an offset strategy, to close the gap to Piastri, who had started third. Norris had been the quicker driver in the race. Passing Piastri, even for minor points, would have been a huge psychological boost. And now? The questions will mount.
You had to feel for George Russell, too. The fourth win of Mercedes driver’s career – a consummate drive from pole position, fending off the challenge of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – was completely and utterly overshadowed.
