Verstappen dealt a brutal blow to Norris: 'I was down for a week'

With Norris starting on pole position and Verstappen down in 17th, the McLaren driver saw a chance to take a big chunk out of the Dutchman's lead. But, when the chequered flag dropped, Verstappen scored 26 points, and Norris only managed eight. Norris himself admits the door is now almost shut.

Norris demoralised by Verstappen

"You have to learn to accept it. Two things made Brazil tough. One was for something like this to happen so late in the season. I think when it's earlier in the season, it's more so be it and you kind of just see what happens later on. But this was almost a defining moment for the championship. It was a defining moment for the championship. The doors are almost shut," Norris explained in Las Vegas.

There were two off weekends between Brazil and this week's Las Vegas Grand Prix. "For a week, I was pretty down after Brazil because I had that realisation that things are pretty much out of my control now, not within reach necessarily. And that's a tough realisation when hopes and your belief is so high for it to get knocked down so much all of a sudden was pretty demoralising and not the best of feelings. But you learn to accept that. That's life," Norris said.

Verstappen is now 62 points ahead of Norris in the 2024 world championship. After the Las Vegas Grand Prix, 60 points will be left on the table. If it is a draw, Verstappen will still lead because he has more Grand Prix wins than Norris. Therefore, Norris must outscore Verstappen by three points in Las Vegas to keep his (very) slim hopes alive. The McLaren driver isn't giving up.

"I'm not saying it is over. I won't say it's over until it is. It's very far out of reach at the minute. We've been performing well but I need a lot of luck. It's pretty much like I've got to win three races, Max has to not finish three races. It's check [chess term]. I'm all alone and Max has all his pawns ready to attack me," Norris concluded.