Verstappen and Hamilton will “try to play tricks” in the battle for the Singapore GP

Lando Norris says he is excited at the prospect of racing against two multiple world champions in today's Singapore Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver starts today's race from pole position ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen and seven-time title winner Lewis Hamilton.

“I have a lot of respect for them,” said Norris, who has won two Grand Prix while his rivals have won 166. “I've looked up to both of them for a long time, both literally and mentally.”

Norris clashed with Verstappen in Austria earlier this year as they battled for the lead, but sitting with the two drivers at the FIA ​​press conference yesterday, Norris said he expected both to stay clean on track.

“I probably know what to expect from them a little bit more because I've seen them race and I think they both race with respect and they both want to race as clean racers,” he said. “So I think that's something I always look forward to.”

“We had a great fight. Whatever the outcome in Austria, I think we had a great fight there and good fights on other tracks as well.”

He said the fact he's fighting for the championship this year “doesn't change anything” about how he approaches racing against them. “I just know they're going to try to use more tricks or… they're just smarter than probably the other riders and probably know better than other riders how to play the longer or shorter game. I probably just respect that more and enjoy being here with two greats of the sport.”

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The McLaren driver took pole position for the sixth time in his career yesterday, a week after an unfortunate qualifying session in Azerbaijan where an ill-timed yellow flag led to his Q1 exit. Norris said he had forgotten that frustration before yesterday's qualifying.

“I feel like I did exactly the same thing [and] I was there just as much last weekend,” he said. “It just didn't happen because of other circumstances. But I didn't [let] it bothers me too much.

“Saturday night and Sunday last week I just focused on the next game and did what I had to do. So I think I performed well.

“I had a very good performance in Baku. I was fast all weekend, so I felt like I could have easily fought there and fought for a podium and the win. But it wasn't meant to be. But I made the most of the day and I'll go out tomorrow and try to do something similar.”

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Singapore Grand Prix 2024

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