MONDAY MORNING DEBRIEF: Did Norris have the raw pace to fight Verstappen for victory in Austin?

Max Verstappen cruised to victory in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix, but could Lando Norris have made his life more difficult without getting stuck behind Charles Leclerc?

Special ContributorMark Hughes
AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle

Max Verstappen’s United States Grand Prix win was resounding, but Lando Norris showed that with a slightly different set of circumstances he could have been fighting the Red Bull driver for that victory.

Although Norris had qualified only second to Verstappen, over 0.35s slower, the way the Circuit of The Americas induces heavy thermal degradation of the rear tyres was expected to play to the key strength of Norris’ McLaren in the race.