ABU DHABI, Dec 6 (Reuters) - McLaren’s championship leader Lando Norris is aiming to win Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, even if a podium is all the Briton needs to clinch a maiden Formula One title.
The 26-year-old will line up in second on the front row alongside Red Bull pole sitter and title rival Max Verstappen with teammate Oscar Piastri, also in title contention, in third.
Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points in the overall standings with Piastri a further four adrift. A top-three finish is all the Briton needs to be champion on Sunday no matter what his rivals do.
“I’m still going to go into tomorrow and we are still going to plan for how we can win the race, whether it’s on pace or strategy or whatever it may be,” Norris, beaten to pole in Saturday’s qualifying, told reporters at the Yas Marina circuit.
“That’s all going to be our plan tomorrow, and that’s how I want to end the season -- standing on top.”
Still, Sunday’s race is unlikely to be as straightforward as that.
Verstappen, who will be champion if he wins and Norris finishes off the podium, is expected to back the two McLarens into the clutches of the cars behind, like Lewis Hamilton did to Nico Rosberg at the same track when the pair were Mercedes teammates and title rivals back in 2016.
“No idea. I expect everything, so we’ll wait and see,” Norris responded when asked if he expected a complicated race. "I feel comfortable and ready to go.
“I feel like we’ve got a good plan for things. I feel excited to get the final race done and then go on holiday,” he added.
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
