Lando Norris in 2022 wasn’t as impressive as compared to 2021. The Briton in the last season’s standings got demoted by one position and could secure 38 points less compared to what he achieved in the year before that.
Though, much of the blame goes to the MCL36, which had dropped McLaren’s competitiveness by a significant level. In 2021 Mclaren was competing for P3 against Ferrari. In 2022, they got defeated by Alpine for P4.
So, a certain blame should be given to Mclaren, as they failed to adapt well to the new aerodynamics regulations. In the second race, only Norris called his MCL36 ‘way way bad’. A brutal but honest assessment of his team he made publically.
Also read: Mark Webber claims his client Oscar Piastri will take time to settle against Lando Norris
Lando Norris hates driving 2022 cars
The Briton race driver has recently opened up about that he detests driving the 20222 cars made under the new regulations that apparently cost every team around $14 million to produce. He claims that he enjoys 2021 make better.
“I hate driving the cars compared to last year [2021],” said Norris, as per RacingNews365.com. “They’re a different challenge. I wouldn’t say they’re as enjoyable as previous years’ cars, just in terms of how comfortable they are and how much you can play around with hitting the kerbs and lines and stuff like that. You’re a bit more limited now.”
He claims that in 2021, the teams had more room to adjust. And in 2022, he believes there is too much challenge to get one good set-up with the car, especially in his team’s case.
Will he face the same problems in 2023?
From 2022 to 2023, teams have only a small wiggle room. Considering they are fundamentally going to be the same cars, teams can’t have major overhauls which can significantly improve their situation.
Only some exceptional development can improve their situation. Moreover, budget caps further handicap McLaren from getting the desirable results in car development. So, Norris could face a similar situation in 2023.
Their main competitor will be Alpine, which will be looking to solidify its position above McLaren. The top three are out of the question for the two teams, as Red Bull and Ferrari will again be superior, and Mercedes has also improved immensely.
In the upcoming season, Norris will partner with Oscar Piastri, the F2 champion, in 2021. It’s the youngest partnership on the grid next season. Will he be able to keep himself above him in the championship? It seems likely, but it shouldn’t be said with a full guarantee.
Also read: Toto Wolff once scolded Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg for their shenanigans
