Before the end of 2023, McLaren marked its presence as a serious contender for the upcoming season. The Papaya team will need its star campaigner to step up to achieve that and give Red Bull a run for its money. To be able to do that, Lando Norris needs to make a major improvement that Max Verstappen has incorporated in his style. Team boss Andrea Stella elaborated on that in a recent interview.
Before his fortunes took a turn for good, Verstappen developed a rather unwanted image. His performance often left much to be desired owing to some reckless driving that cost him and the team. The Dutchman, however, learned to tame that aggression in his favor with time. Norris made some reckless mistakes in 2023 in a similar fashion. The Briton was also quick to put his hand up in realization. Stella wants his prodigious driver to follow Verstappen’s route now to replicate the greatness the 3-time champion has.
The Race quoted him as saying, “… consistency in this kind of delivery, this is what makes the difference. And I think Max is really establishing, for what we have seen recently, new standards in terms of how consistently you can perform strongly.”
Verstappen displayed an added level of maturity in 2023 by striking a balance between aggression and patience. The result of that was unmatched consistency in performance that saw him pick 19 race wins.
McLaren, however, is entering 2024 with a newfound confidence. The startling recovery from the depressing start of 2023 to becoming regular on the podium has got the Woking team setting some ambitious targets. If they continue to build on the momentum, Red Bull could encounter some serious competition.
McLaren looks forward to the start of a new era
McLaren’s recent social media activity has undoubtedly caught the attention of media and fans alike. The Papaya team has made its intentions very clear about the start of a new era in their journey with some posts ahead of the start of the new season.
In a video posted on Instagram on 15 January, the team looked back on the trying times. It talked about being counted out of the competition even before the beginning of the season. They showcased how every individual was working tirelessly to get back on top. In the upcoming season, they plan on converting those efforts into results and proving the doubters wrong.
McLaren also deleted every post from the past. This was to mark the start of a new era which they claim has begun already. The newer posts follow a similar theme displaying the ambitions they are working towards.
Fans would certainly welcome any competition as Red Bull managed to keep every rival at bay in 2023. As McLaren emerged as the fastest car behind the Milton Keynes outfit, they have the required momentum to build on. All that remains to be seen is if the Woking-based team can deliver on the promises to their fans.
