Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver, has made a surprising claim regarding Lando Norris's DNF at the Dutch Grand Prix, calling it 'helpful' despite the incident widening the gap to Oscar Piastri.
Why it matters:
- Norris's retirement at Zandvoort saw his championship gap to teammate Oscar Piastri grow significantly from 9 to 34 points.
The big picture:
- Throughout the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, McLaren, along with Norris, demonstrated why they are considered one of the top teams in F1.
- Schumacher praised McLaren's overall consistency and Norris's strong performance before the DNF, noting, "The whole weekend was great of him and that's what Formula 1 is all about."
Schumacher's 'crazy' take:
- Schumacher stated that the DNF, although not Norris's fault, could paradoxically "take a bit of pressure off his shoulders."
- He believes it's "mentally helpful" for Norris, allowing him to fight without the immediate pressure of a perfect points haul.
- "I know it sounds weird, but it's actually helpful for him mentally," Schumacher concluded.
What's next:
- Norris will need to focus on regaining points in upcoming races and hoping for some luck to close the gap to Piastri.