The dust has settled over the Las Vegas strip, and Formula 1 has crowned its 2024 World Champion—despite Lando Norris’ best efforts. But unfortunately for the McLaren driver, the season was in Max Verstappen‘s hands right from the very start.

Lando Norris plays down his losing battle with the Red Bull driver: “Nobody in F1 could have recovered from a deficit like the one I had.”

Lando Norris believes his McLaren team were simply “not ready” to win an F1 drivers’ championship this year after Max Verstappen sealed the title in Las Vegas. Verstappen finished fifth, a spot above Norris, in Sin City and now has an unassailable lead in the drivers’ championship with two races left.