Lando Norris says he’s happy to see Andrea Kimi Antonelli succeed him as world champion because he’s performed so well this year.
The reigning world champion is no longer in contention to win the title again this year. Antonelli is virtually guaranteed to win the world title this weekend.Norris, who prevailed in a three-way fight in the final round of last season to take the title, said “I don’t really care” that Antonelli faces a less stressful conclusion to the championship this weekend. He said the Mercedes driver has clearly proven himself a worthy champion.
“He’s winning a world championship and he’s going to win the world championship,” said Norris. “I don’t think anyone really cares how you do it honestly, they shouldn’t.
“He has done an incredible job and I would say he has done it in a pretty incredible way. People are saying he hasn’t had any tough competition this year but that proves exactly the point that he has done such an incredible a job.
“He’s got a very, very talented team mate that he’s beaten through the whole season. So I have nothing but respect for Kimi and he’s a very, very nice guy. We get along very well and I’m more than happy to pass the number one over to him. He deserves it.
“He’s done an incredible job, especially in his second year in Formula 1, to be the youngest world champion, all of these things that he’s going to achieve, that’s pretty insane. So I’m more than, happy, I enjoy seeing other people have that kind of success, so it’s nice to see.”
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Norris scored back-to-back wins in the middle of the season and nearly scored another victory in Madrid where he lost the lead due to the timing of a Virtual Safety Car period. However McLaren’s form has slumped noticeably in recent races and they have fallen to fourth place in the constructors’ championship.
“I know I’ve had a pretty horrible defensive title, but there’s not much more I could have done,” he said. “I feel like I’ve driven a very, very good season.
“We just have another car [to Mercedes] and that’s nothing that’s really in my control. From my side, I feel I’ve done my very best, and the races where I could fight against him I feel we’ve had good fights and it’s been a good season from that perspective.
“But I’m more than happy to pass the number one over to him because he deserves it easily more than anyone.”