Verstappen and Hamilton will ‘try to play tricks’ in Singapore GP fight

Lando Norris says he’s relishing the prospect of going up against two multiple world champions in today’s Singapore Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver will start today’s race from pole position ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen and seven-times title winner Lewis Hamilton.

“I respect them a lot,” said Norris, who has won two grands prix compared to his rivals’ 166. “I’ve looked up to both of them for a long time, both literally and mentally.”

Norris tangled with Verstappen when they fought for the lead in Austria earlier this year. However, sitting with the two drivers during yesterday’s FIA press conference, Norris said he expects both will keep it clean on-track.

“I probably know what to expect a bit more from them because I’ve seen them drive and I think they both drive with respect and they both want to drive as clean racing drivers,” he said. “So I think that’s something I always look forward to.

“We had a great battle, however it ended in Austria, I think we’ve had a great battle there and good battles at other tracks too.”

He said the fact he is in contention for a championship this year “doesn’t change anything” about his approach to racing them. “I just know that they’ll try and play more tricks, or… they’re just smarter than, probably, the other drivers and know how to play the longer game or the shorter game more than probably other drivers too. I probably just respect it more and enjoy being here with two greats of the sport.”

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The McLaren driver took pole position for the sixth time in his career yesterday, one week on from a luckless qualifying session in Azerbaijan where an unfortunately-timed yellow flag led to his elimination in Q1. Norris said he put that frustration out of his mind ahead of qualifying yesterday.

“I feel like I did exactly the same [and] I was on it just as much last weekend,” he said. “Just things didn’t turn out that way because of other circumstances. But I’ve not [let] it bother me too much.

“Saturday night and coming into Sunday last week, I just concentrated on the next one and did what I had to do. So I feel like I’m performing well.

“I was performing very well in Baku. I was quick all weekend. So I felt like I could easily have fought there and fought for a podium and for the win. But it wasn’t to be. But I maximised that day and I’ll go out there tomorrow and try and do a similar thing.”