Lando Norris was roped into the car vs. driver debate of F1 during a chat with Tom Daley last year. The McLaren man admitted that the difference maker in the feeder series like F2 and F3 is the athlete i.e. the driver. However, that changes in F1 as the emphasis shifts to the machinery. Although, the Brit thinks it’s a shame that this is the reality.
Per Daley’s YouTube video, Norris said, “When you get into Formula 1, there’s even more free range with what teams can do with the car. So then you do actually have even bigger differences than in Formula 2, Formula 3 Formula 4, karting, and so on.”
“So that’s why you see teams normally separated by, by teams rather than everything being a big mix, which is a little bit of a shame, but it’s also just the way motorsport is sometimes.”, he added.
The drivers do make a difference in F1 too and the comparison is evident within a team. However, the difference between two teams is mainly down to the performance of their cars. This is because no two teams produce the same car in F1. So, no matter how good a driver is, they’re limited or boosted by the car underneath them and other variables.
A perfect example of this scenario was Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ fall and Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s dominance in 2022. This is what Norris doesn’t appreciate. However, this is the game, and Norris and Co. are playing it at the moment.
Norris and McLaren have the car performance but they are lacking the cutting edge
McLaren are currently just 42 points off the lead in the constructor’s standings. Being so close to the lead with 10 races still to go, they’re doing everything in their power to maximize points each race weekend.
TEAM STANDINGS (after 14/24 rounds)
McLaren’s deficit to Red Bull narrows to 42 points #F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/HdKVIUHLCh
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2024
Their improved car performance since the Miami GP is coming in handy, but there are several other variables to handle. — the strategy, tire management, weather, safety cars, grid penalties, etc.
Then, there are some instances where a split-second decision can change the course of the race. This is how Norris won his first Grand Prix in Miami by taking advantage of a timely safety car. On the other hand, he lost out on winning two races in Montreal and Silverstone due to poor strategic calls.
It highlighted the Woking outfit’s lack of recent experience in fighting at the front. However, they’re learning and improving at a fast pace. McLaren already has the most important factors in place — the cars and the drivers — now all they need to do is execute each race weekend with better strategies.
