Lando Norris has become the talk of the town in F1 after signing an extension deal with McLaren. In an interview following the signing with Sky Sports, the 24-year-old talked about not being ready to take Max Verstappen on in the same car. The comment has not gone well with his fans and that of McLaren. The Race’s Ben Anderson attempted to make sense of fans’ responsive criticism.
In a recent YouTube video, Anderson said, “We want Norris to back himself. If you believe you can be a world champion, you need to be prepared to go up against anyone in any circumstances and not think, ‘Oh no but I’ve got to have the right team, the right amount of time to get used to the car, the teammate’s got to be the right person’. That’s not the winning mentality being conveyed.”
While Anderson voices fans’ sentiments, Norris‘ under-confident tone is not unfounded either. Verstappen is currently in a dream form after completing a 19-race wins season. The Dutchman is currently on a 3 championship-winning streak and shows no signs of slowing down.
Anderson, however, provides a legitimate counter to that narrative. Given Norris’ track record against Daniel Ricciardo, the only teammate to beat Verstappen in the equal car, Anderson believes the McLaren driver would be the perfect challenger to the reigning champion in the same car.
But moving to Red Bull to do that- would that be the best choice for Norris? McLaren is emerging as a powerhouse that holds the ambition of being the giant killer in F1. With Mercedes and Ferrari struggling, the Woking-based outfit has the perfect opportunity to do that. And if Norris can help them reach the summit, he is looking forward to building a worthy legacy.
Not joining Red Bull- a smart move by Lando Norris?
McLaren took a while to take off in the 2023 season. The team failed to meet a few deadlines on the development of the car and it showed on the track. However, as the season progressed, the Woking engineers showed a better understanding of the concept. Resultantly, the MCL60 emerged as the fastest car behind the RB19. Being in the middle of it all, Norris certainly must know that now is not the time to quit.
If not that, he might as well take a leaf out of Verstappen‘s notebook. Despite years of struggle, the Dutchman decided to stay put with the Milton Keynes team. His loyalty is reflected in the contract he signed in 2022 that will keep him with Red Bull until the end of 2028.
Another reason why switching would perhaps not have been the smartest choice for Norris is Verstappen’s track record. The 26-year-old is notorious for causing the premature exits of his teammates. Even team boss Christian Horner has acknowledged this ability of his when assessing an underperforming Sergio Perez.
Christian Horner on how is it like being Max Verstappen’s teammate
“It is probably the toughest job in F1 to be Max’s teammate.”
“At the level Max is currently operating, there is no driver in F1 who could take him on in the same car.”
[@ESPNF1] #F1 pic.twitter.com/xcEApQDi6T
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) August 3, 2023
Besides the Dutchman is so ingrained at Red Bull, with his off-track brand ambassador deals, it is a circus where he is the Lion and the Ringmaster! Therefore, it is not wise for Norris to leave McLaren where he has a similar position, and go to RBR to challenge Verstappen’s dominant position.
Although, things are not going to be easy at McLaren either. After leaving Ricciardo devastated for 2 years straight, Norris finally has a worthy contender in Oscar Piastri. The Aussie driver bagged a Sprint victory in his rookie season and looks to have immense talent to display in 2024. Carrying the McLaren torch is not going to be a cakewalk for Norris.
