'It has been silly' - Lando Norris opens up about need of Summer Break amid championship fight with Max Verstappen

Lando Norris, the young and talented McLaren driver, recently expressed his need for the Formula 1 summer break after enduring a series of frustrating races. The Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps marked another race where Norris found himself trailing behind the unstoppable Max Verstappen.

Despite the high hopes that McLaren had harboured since catching up to Red Bull's pace at the 2024 Miami GP, both Norris and the team have struggled to convert their potential into victories. This has left the 24-year-old feeling drained and disheartened.

Norris and McLaren have faced multiple missed opportunities for wins this season. The Emilia Romagna, Canadian, Spanish, Austrian, and British GPs all slipped through their fingers, with each race adding to Norris' growing frustration. The Hungarian GP was particularly bitter, as he had to surrender victory to his teammate, allowing Verstappen to further extend his lead in the drivers' championship.

What did Lando Norris say?

After the Belgian GP, Norris spoke candidly about his feelings, emphasizing how much he needed the summer break to reset and recharge. He acknowledged that the last few races had been plagued by mistakes and bad starts, leading to costly errors. "I need the summer break for a reset," Norris admitted to the media.

“I have given away a lot of points over the last three or four races because of stupid stuff, mistakes and bad starts. It has been silly things, not even difficult stuff. I tried to stay out of trouble here to make sure I didn’t get hit, and then I misjudged it and ended up off the track.”

“There isn’t one reason. I am just trying a bit too hard and maybe paying the price for that. We have got what it takes to fight and battle but I have just not been on it. I will go away, forget about it and then come back stronger”, he concluded.