David Croft has offered an intriguing glimpse into what the rest of 2024 might hold in store, inspired by Lando Norris‘ recent triumph.
Sky Sports commentator David Croft is optimistic about the remainder of the 2024 F1 season, foreseeing a plethora of thrilling moments akin to Lando Norris’ debut victory, promising fans an exhilarating season ahead.
The spotlight fell on Norris as he secured his inaugural F1 win at the Miami Grand Prix this past Sunday. Despite a stroke of luck with the timing of the Safety Car, the British driver seized control of the race and asserted his dominance thereafter.
Taking the lead from Sergio Perez on Lap 19 in Miami, Norris exhibited exceptional pace, outpacing Max Verstappen with each subsequent lap. This triumph marked the end of a prolonged wait for Norris to claim his maiden victory, a culmination of numerous close calls in the past.
This victory also signifies a notable departure from the dominance of Red Bull in the early stages of the season, with two of the opening six races now falling outside their grasp.
This stands in stark contrast to the previous year, where Red Bull secured victory in 14 consecutive races before Carlos Sainz Jr.’s breakthrough win at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Reflecting on the race in Miami, Croft expressed his anticipation for more captivating moments akin to Norris’ triumph in the upcoming races of the season.
He remarked, “Two out of six races have not been won by Red Bull. We’re seeing McLaren come to the fore with the upgrades they’ve brought here and continuing that challenge.
“Taking it to Red Bull, upgrades seemingly work at the track. Oscar will have those upgrades in full next time out. Red Bull have sacrificed a little bit of qualifying speed to help their race pace as well.
“Others are making gains. As Lando said before the race, we’re fifth on the grid which sounds rubbish but we’re two tenths behind.
“That’s the key. They’ve closed that time gap. We will see more moments like this this year compared to last year.”
Red Bull maintains its position as the team to beat in the 2024 Formula 1 season, although both McLaren and Ferrari are closing in on them. McLaren made a significant stride forward in Miami with the introduction of a substantial upgrade, exclusively fitted to Lando Norris’ car.
Likewise, Ferrari is poised to follow suit at Imola, aiming to narrow down Red Bull’s advantage substantially.
The standings in the drivers’ championship remain tightly contested, largely due to Max Verstappen’s retirement in Australia. Verstappen currently leads the championship standings by 33 points over his teammate Sergio Perez, while Charles Leclerc trails just five points behind the second Red Bull driver.
Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. find themselves tied on 83 points each, occupying the fourth and fifth positions respectively.
