The numbers behind Lando Norris' "pretty insane" claim about McLaren's F1 development
Whereas Lando Norris thought his Formula 1 title dream had gone up in smoke at Zandvoort last year – resulting in some iconic images in the dunes – this year he won the final edition of the Dutch Grand Prix. Even more important than bouncing back from last year’s DNF is the fact that Norris now has momentum firmly on his side. His victory at Zandvoort, following an earlier triumph in ... Keep…
In the 2023 season, Lando Norris has made tremendous strides in Formula 1, particularly with McLaren, which has seen significant development under the new rule set. After a disappointing finish in the Dutch Grand Prix last year, Norris secured victory at Zandvoort, marking his second consecutive win and further reduced his deficit in the championship standings to 83 points.
This performance not only underscores McLaren's recent progress but also indicates that the team's development has outpaced their competitors, resulting in a mere second of improvement per lap compared to rivals. Norris attributes McLaren's success to their focus on overcoming challenges from the previous season, emphasizing that the team has "outdeveloped" their competitors.
Despite Mercedes suggesting McLaren as the team to beat, Norris remains skeptical, maintaining that the Mercedes team is still the fastest, even if they were beaten in the race. Norris acknowledges his own role in the victory, crediting his decisive overtakes on rivals like Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton for securing the win.
With a significant points gap to close, Norris remains optimistic about the possibility of defending his title, despite the new regulation presenting a more competitive landscape.
Written by urgent.news from Motorsport.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
