Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has said Lando Norris’ strong performance at the Dutch GP was good for the sport, with the battle for the Constructors’ Championship now wide open given McLaren’s 30-lap lead over leading team Red Bull.

The 2024 Formula 1 season was a stark contrast to the last two seasons, especially the 2023 season, as the other teams except Red Bull learned how to get more power out of the ground effect cars.

Last year, Red Bull managed to win 21 out of 22 races, but so far the team has only managed to win 7 out of 15 races while Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren have all shown their capabilities. However, the Papaya team has proven to be the most consistent team so far with its continuous podium finishes and three Grand Prix wins.

Mercedes also showed consistency, but a new surface at Zandvoort is expected to slow the pace, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing in seventh and eighth place in the same order. As Norris set the fastest time on the final lap of the Dutch GP to close in on Red Bull’s lead, Wolff told the media:

“With the fastest lap at the end, with a 42-lap-old hard tire and a lead of 20 seconds, he basically destroyed all the competition.”

“So I think this championship, the constructors’ championship, is completely open and that’s good for Formula 1.”

With nine races to go, Norris is just 70 points behind leader Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship. Although the chances of him overtaking the three-time world champion remain slim, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says the situation for the constructors’ title can change quickly. He added:

“It can change very quickly, and that means it can change back in the other direction.

“McLaren has been the benchmark car in recent races.

“We are very aware that we have to react to this. We have been used to being involved in championship battles for years. We will give it our all and fight with everything we have in the remaining nine races.”

For the Milton Keynes-based team to keep McLaren at bay, they will need to ensure that Sergio Perez gives his all every race weekend to increase the team’s points tally, especially with three more sprint races to go.