Norris: Verstappen got a bit lucky

One can understand Norris' frustration after missing out on the chance to reduce the gap to Verstappen in the Formula 1 drivers' championship, but to say his rival was lucky is an understatement.

Verstappen was unlucky in qualifying missing out on Q3 after a Red flag, which meant he qualified 12th and started the Grand Prix from 17th after serving a five-place grid penalty for taking a new engine.

But once the race started, Verstappen made his intentions clear, slicing through the field, as Red Bull Racing took a risk by keeping him out longer on track which paid off after a Safety Car and Red flag. For that part, Norris was right to say Verstappen was lucky, but why didn't McLaren think of that?

And while Verstappen was faultless, Norris committed several mistakes which ended any hopes of him winning the race.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race said his disappointing result in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was: "All about position loss. We were just under the red flag with the free pit stop for the others, so unfortunate, nothing more."

The first mistake Norris made was losing out to George Russell at the start, but the latter followed Norris into the pits once the rain intensified under a Virtual Safety Car, and lost out as well.

"George probably felt like he won the race today and he probably deserved to win the race today more than anyone else but sometimes it's just unlucky and the rules go against you," Norris said.

"So a difficult day, I made a couple of mistakes that cost me against George and cost me against Charles [Leclerc]. Nothing more. It was a tough day, I did my best. I've had a lot of good races, it was about time that something didn't go right.

"I have faith in the team in what they are saying and they have trust in me," the Briton responded when asked about McLaren's strategy.

"It was just unlucky. I don't care about the hindsight side of things, that's luck for them, nothing more. They got lucky on a rule that no one agrees with.

"Probably they agreed with it but every driver has disagreed with it in the past," he added referring to the rule that allowed cars free tyre choice under a Red flag.

"Today it benefitted them, it could have benefitted us if we just stayed out, but that's a stupid thing to think of. Just a bit unlucky today, nothing more. Of course, disappointing

"[Max] drove well, he got a bit lucky but that's life," Norris insisted.

Norris finished the race in sixth place, but his result is under threat as he is under investigation by the stewards for an infringement at the start of the race that was aborted after Lance Stroll crashed on the formation lap.