Lando Norris admits Brazil GP collapse aftermath was ‘pretty s****y’ – and reveals he couldn’t sleep for days after seeing his world championship hopes all but die

Lando Norris has revealed that he couldn’t sleep for days after seeing his world championship dream all but die in Brazil a fortnight ago.

The Briton remains only mathematically in the chase heading into the all-glitz Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend. If he loses to Verstappen by three points or more he will be out of contention with two races remaining.

Norris failed to impress in Brazil after taking pole. He finished sixth while Verstappen came from 17th to win in style, dominating in the wet.

‘It was a defining moment for the championship,’ admitted Norris. ‘The door is almost shut.

‘The first week after the race was pretty s****y, probably zero recovery done.

‘I literally couldn’t sleep for the first two days. So I did, 36-40 hours straight – I couldn’t sleep. So I probably made everything worse. When you’re tired, you’re more moody. It’s a double effect. I felt like I had just had no energy…like I lost.

The Brit started the race in pole position but ended up in sixth place during a rain-soaked GP

Max Verstappen all but guaranteed a fourth-straight world title with a stunning victory at Interlagos

‘When your hopes and beliefs are so high to get them knocked down was demoralising and not the best of feelings. But you learn to accept that that is life.

‘I can survive, I can put up a fight, and that is what I will do but at some point you know it is not going to go your way. You never know. I am not saying it is over and I wouldn’t until it is, but it is very far out of reach. I need a lot of luck. I have to win three races, and hope Max fails to finish in those three races.’

Norris, 25, has failed to convert seven of his eight career poles into leads at the end of the first lap. That is despite possessing the McLaren car that for most of this season has been the car setting the pace.

‘I probably wasn’t outright ready to go up against Red Bull and Max,’ added Norris, who is in his sixth season in Formula One.

‘It is probably too late for the championship. Nobody has gone up against Max so early in his career and put up a reasonable fight. I am there but nobody else is doing it.

‘This was my first opportunity to see where I stand. I was not at the level where I needed to be at the beginning of the year but since the summer break I have done a very good job and performed very well.

‘I still need to make tweaks, and I still need to make improvements, but for the first time I am confident to say that I have what is needed to fight for a championship.

‘That doesn’t mean I am complete or perfect and if you want to beat Max you have to be close to perfect, but the main thing I can take away from this season is that I have what it takes to fight for a championship.’