The Spanish Grand Prix saw Lando Norris produce a fourth top-10 finish in six races so far in this Formula 1 season, excelling despite the sweltering conditions in Barcelona.
And the McLaren prospect had more reason than most to be hot under the collar after it emerged he was struggling with tonsillitis in Spain. In fact, he described the Spain showdown as one of the 'hardest races' he's competed in as a result of the illness.
Norris, 22, looked visibly frail during the drivers' parade and appeared eager to remain covered by his umbrella for the most part. He nonetheless recovered to finish eighth in Sunday's race and told reporters of the struggle he faced in the build-up.
"Today was tough," said Norris after the race. "I was feeling really unwell before the race as I'm suffering with tonsillitis, and that, in combination with the high temperatures, made this one of the hardest races I’ve ever done.
"I've been a bit on the backfoot this weekend as most of my energy has been spent fighting off this illness. I've had to miss a lot of engineering sessions, which has compromised my weekend, and I definitely wasn't as prepared for the Grand Prix as I could have been. With that in mind, I'm really pleased to have come out of the race with decent points for the team."
Norris even gained three places after he managed to nail down an 11th-place starting position on the grid. That's in contrast to team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who started P9 but ultimately crossed the line in 12th place.
Who do you think will be crowned 2022 F1 champion? Let us know in the comments section.
The Australian may be required to pick up his performance if Norris hasn't recovered in time for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix. Ricciardo's 12th-place finish in Spain was his second-best result of the season to date, with his sole top-10 finish coming in the shape of a run to sixth at his home Grand Prix in Melbourne
Norris will be hoping a little of that home advantage comes his way in Monte Carlo after he moved to Monaco earlier this year. He won't be the only driver with that target in mind, however, considering numerous F1 drivers now base themselves on the French Riviera.
Just seven points separate the Brit in seventh from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton just ahead in sixth. Meanwhile, the drivers' standings have a new leader after Red Bull 's Max Verstappen clinched a third straight win in Barcelona to move ahead of Ferrari 's Charles Leclerc.
