Andrea Stella Draws Bold Schumacher Parallel as Lando Norris Reflects Ferrari Great’s Unique Ability

There have been many F1 drivers who have achieved glory with McLaren, and many drivers who have had a miserable time. For Lando Norris, things have started to move away from misery and toward glory once again. The Woking Outfit have fought a fierce battle against the clock to get their 2023 challenger up and running again. With a dismal start to the season, their chances of even competing against the midfield were looking bleak. But McLaren’s perseverance bore fruit, as the upgrades they have made to the MCL60 during the 2023 season have turned them into a formidable force. And the points are pouring in for the Papaya outfit lately!

The engineers at McLaren HQ should be given their due credit for the upgrades. However, the comeback would not be possible without Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri leading the effort. McLaren has had some of the greatest drivers in history drive for their squad. From Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost to Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, the list is endless. But McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, believes Norris may enter the ranks of a certain German driver, whom many fans regard as the best driver of all time.

Will Lando Norris join the likes of Schumacher and Alonso?

Lando Norris debuted with McLaren in 2019. And has made an impressive transition from the Junior Formula series to the Pinnacle of Motorsport. He had his first podium appearance in 2020 and has gathered 11 podiums as of the Qatar GP. Therefore, there have been many F1 entities who have touted Norris as one of the best on the grid, like Red Bull’s Christian Horner. But there is one person close to the Woking Outfit who wants to take the comparisons to the next level.

On the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast, Stella was asked what stood out about Norris to him. To which McLaren’s Team Principal replied, “First of all, Lando gives you the characteristics like some other top drivers that I was lucky enough to work with. That their perception of time is like zoomed in very much. Like he talks about what happens in half a second, like it happened in one hour. You know, like the capacity to perceive, isolate, all the little things that happen, from his point of view as a driver. Or from what’s happening with the car, is pretty impressive.”

He further emphasized Lando’s closeness to the greats that he has worked with. Stella added, “I think the ingredients for Lando to be able to succeed like these drivers have been able to succeed are coming together. And when it is about natural speed, I think Lando can compete with some of these big names like Schumacher or Fernando Alonso”. Praise as high as comparing Norris to seven-time-world champion Michael Schumacher should not be taken lightly. Especially when it comes from someone who worked with the German champion.

READ MORE: “Was a Bold Statement”: Despite Lando Norris Jumping the Gun, Upbeat TP Refuses to Curb Ambitions

With such big expectations resting on his shoulders, Norris has a lot to live up to in the coming season. While McLaren may have provided him with a fighting chance, the 23-year-old needs to seize the moment. But is his teammate making things a little difficult?

Will pressure from Oscar Piastri become Norris’s friend or foe?

While the Papaya Army is celebrating the Qatar Grand Prix, Lando Norris is perplexed. His devotion to McLaren has yet to pay off, as he has failed to win a race for the Woking outfit.

To make matters worse, his rookie teammate Oscar Piastri won the Qatar sprint race, defeating Norris despite his loyalty to McLaren. This trend continued at the Grand Prix, with the Australian finishing ahead of Norris. With Piastri nearly matching Norris in qualifying and races, the Brit could buckle under pressure.

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The toughest battle in F1 is usually with your own teammate, and the fight appears to be going downhill for Norris. If Oscar Piastri continues to perform as well as he has, it would not be surprising if the Australian is considered as a more future-proof asset for McLaren than Norris. However, Lando Norris is a seasoned driver at this point. If he can channel Piastri’s pressure into his race craft, it might just work to his advantage!