The win was just a couple of laps away for Lando Norris at the Russian Grand Prix. The McLaren driver was poised for his maiden Formula 1 victory, up until disaster struck in the final three laps.
Norris' McLaren skidded off the track on the 51st lap, with the wet conditions ultimately robbing him of his Formula 1 moment. That spotlight instead went to Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver was breathing down Norris' neck and took full advantage of the mishap.
HAMILTON TO THE LEAD!!
A massive downpour in the final laps of the Russian GP sees Lando Norris' first F1 victory slide away. pic.twitter.com/MrTpV4UKXU
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 26, 2021
The 21-year-old was in dire straits after the race. Norris was noticeably fighting off his tears as the emotions were running high after such a late lap letdown. Despite that, the young F1 driver was able to speak out on his thoughts amid the brutal defeat.
Via veteran F1 reporter Byron Young:
“I don't know where to start. Obviously unhappy, devastated in a way. Made a call to stay out and it was the wrong call at the end of the day. I felt capable of doing it [winning] and felt capable for a while. Just heart break…”
Lando Norris has shown he has all the skills to be a terrific Formula 1 driver for years to come. He already has a few podiums under his name, with many more to come. This defeat for the McLaren driver will just make the first one that much sweeter.
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