Norris dismisses Russell's McLaren dominance claim as games

Lando Norris has responded to George Russell's claim that McLaren has a stronger car than Red Bull did in 2023. Russell stated before the Chinese Grand Prix that he believes McLaren should win every race this season. Norris disagreed and expressed surprise, saying he thought Russell was "smarter than that." He dismissed the idea that McLaren has a bigger advantage than Red Bull had during their dominant season. Norris stated that while McLaren has a strong car, it is not as powerful as the 2023 Red Bull. Norris noted that Russell's confidence after only one race is unusual. He indicated that Russell's comments seemed like tactics to unsettle rivals. Norris mentioned he doesn't take such statements seriously and finds them amusing. He also pointed out that he had a strong start to the season by winning the opening race in Australia, but qualified sixth for the sprint race in Shanghai. Despite his success, Norris maintained that he doesn’t let comments from other drivers affect him. He plans to address Russell's remarks, but feels indifferent to the ongoing competition.