Max Verstappen has spoken about the razor-thin margin between him and the title after Lando Norris eased to victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Verstappen started the race in second place alongside Norris but did not get off to a better start than the Briton.

The Dutchman held his position into the first corner but quickly fell behind Norris. Norris’ pace was no match for Verstappen, who was content with second place.

Overall, Verstappen was pleased with his podium finish and his solitary race, with Red Bull not expecting a competitive performance ahead of the weekend.

“Yeah, I think it was my own race,” said Verstappen. “Just trying to do the best I can, trying to control my own pace until the end.

“I think the first stint was a bit difficult for us, the tyres were worn quite a bit. The second race was a little better. I was a little more relaxed.

“Yes, on a weekend where we knew we were going to struggle, it was a great achievement to get P2.

“Of course, we are not satisfied with second place. Now we just have to try and improve even more, and that’s all we’ll try to do.”
Verstappen’s lead continues to shrink
Norris’ win reduced Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship to 52 points, while McLaren now leads Red Bull by 41 points in the constructors’ championship.

The McLaren driver was also aiming for the fastest lap; however, that record was broken by Daniel Ricciardo on the final lap.

Norris has six races and three sprints to close the gap on the three-time world champion.

Verstappen has seen his lead shrink over the course of the races and wants to end Norris’s lead in the title race.

“That’s true,” Verstappen admitted. “But it can change very quickly.

“So we just have to keep trying. Of course, at some point, try to turn it around a little bit. You know, it’s not always going to be the last one, but we’ll see how that goes.”