“Lando Norris is just as good as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen”: McLaren CEO says that his star driver is one of the best out there in terms of speed

McLaren CEO Zak Brown feels that Lando Norris is on the same level as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen when it comes to pace. 

Lando Norris has enjoyed a stellar 2021 season. The young Briton was scoring points in every single race this season until Hungary. He even bagged up 4 podium finishes in 2021 with the latest one coming in Monza.

The second half of the season has been a bit turbulent for the 21 year old. While he has been scoring points, he hasn’t been as impressive as he was in the first half. Lando was leading the Russian Grand Prix for most of the race back in September. However, his hesitation to pit for intermediate tires towards the closing stages cost him his maiden F1 win and he finished 7th instead.

Nevertheless, the Bristol born driver has earned a lot of plaudits for his good work. One of his most vocal supporters has been team boss Zak Brown. The American shares a close relationship with Norris and has been a big fan of his work for a long time.

Lando Norris has been on Zak Brown’s radar since 2014

Brown said in an interview with De Telegraaf that he has been scouting Norris since 2014.

“Lando first came on my radar in 2014. I think he can be counted among the best drivers now,” Brown said in an interview with De Telegraaf. “He’s on the level of Verstappen and Hamilton. Maybe not in terms of experience, but definitely in terms of speed.”

Lando Norris recently signed a contract with the team that will keep him in Surrey in 2022 and beyond. He is currently 5th in the driver’s standings with 149 points to his name, just a point behind Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.

Also read: “I could give Max [Verstappen] a run for his money”- Lando Norris makes sensational claim against Red Bull doyen