McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Lando Norris can finally call himself a grand prix winner, as McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown pointed to Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button as Formula 1 champions who endured a similarly long wait.
Despite Norris’ undeniable ability, his long-awaited first grand prix win with McLaren, which he had hoped would come sooner, had taken much longer to materialize.
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But at last, on his 110th start, Norris trashed his record of most podiums without a win by taking the chequered flag in Miami, that McLaren’s first win since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate at McLaren, had been putting pressure on Max Verstappen from Red Bull in the early part of the race. However, a well-timed Safety Car intervention changed the dynamics of the race, benefiting Norris, who went on to claim a dominant victory.
Norris is frequently discussed as a possible future World Champion. Brown highlights that previous champions like Rosberg (2016) and Button (2009) had to patiently wait for their first victory before reaching that prestigious title. He suggests that Norris could potentially tread a similar path.
Rosberg entered the world of Formula 1 in 2006 and achieved his first victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2012. Meanwhile, Button, who made his debut in 2000, secured his maiden win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006.
When asked by Sky F1 if he anticipates a change in Norris’s driving style after securing his first F1 victory, Brown responded by saying that winning a grand prix tends to boost a driver’s confidence.
“They have experienced it, which shifts the conversation away from asking ‘When will you win your first race?'”
However, there have been individuals such as Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg who took more time to win a race but eventually went on to become world champions.
“And let’s be honest, the car he’s been given has the ability to win, and he has proven that. If he had been provided with a winning car earlier, the outcome would have been different.”
Therefore, it must be acknowledged that he was driving exceptionally well. Furthermore, Oscar’s performance over the weekend was truly remarkable. He managed to secure the second position, trailing Max by just a mere three seconds.
“Our performance over the weekend was exceptional. Our race pace was impressive, and it was truly amazing to witness the dedication and hard work of everyone at McLaren. They have transformed us from having the worst car in Miami last year to having the best car within just 12 months. It’s truly remarkable.”
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Norris’ acquisition of the fully-upgraded McLaren MCL38 in Miami has generated significant interest, raising questions about whether McLaren has become a true competitor to Red Bull.
Brown has confirmed that McLaren is confident in their ability to secure additional victories against Red Bull in F1 2024.
When asked about McLaren’s chances of securing more victories this year, Brown expressed confidence in the team’s ability to compete for wins.
“This won’t be a walk in the park. Red Bull, in my opinion, still maintains the speed, especially in this particular race where we were exceptionally well-prepared.”
However, in the recent races, we have outperformed Ferrari. This indicates that we are on par with them and have a chance to win. We are determined to defeat them, as well as any other competitors, and hopefully, we will achieve this multiple times throughout the year. I believe there is no reason why we cannot accomplish this.
Next time at Imola, Piastri will also be equipped with the complete upgrade package, which includes the upgraded sidepods and floor that Norris had the advantage of not using.
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