McLaren had some intense highs and lows last season. The season did not start well for Lando Norris and that put the pressure on Zak Brown. With no avail in improving the car, the team started to lose their momentum. While this was clearly seen on the track, Netflix’s Drive to Survive showcased some behind-the-scenes action of the McLaren CEO and driver discussions.

Although Norris had a great start in McLaren, the team had a bad start in 2023, but they picked up towards the end and the 24-year-old driver ended at P6 on the drivers cup. But despite the comeback, his faith in McLaren was wavering. Zak Brown was under pressure as the contract was still to be renewed and things looked shaky after the loss to Haas and Williams.

Drivers take from McLaren’s dissatisfying 2023 early season

Lando Norris and Zak Brown share a close relationship now, with them often heading out to play golf together. One of these golf trips was accompanied by the Drive to Survive crew where the two spoke about their goals to get back in the top 4.

After their discussion on the golf course, in the interview segment, the young driver spoke about his take on being a team principal for McLaren. Norris stated, “I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in Zak’s position. You know, running McLaren, There has to be a huge amount of pressure that comes with it.”

He continued, “But when you put so much effort into it, and the best you can do is like a 17th or 18th, it feels like you’re racing for nothing.” The fact that the team that used to lead races couldn’t even make it into the points really hurt Norris and his frustration was evident in the first half of the season. For Norris, his goal of being a world champion is his drive, and having a fitting team for him is the only thing he needs to unlock his potential.

Read More – Christian Horner Mocks Zak Brown’s “Embarrassing” Failure That Left McLaren Helpless

But things have changed and Norris has decided to fully commit to McLaren as he prepares to rival Max Verstappen. There were improvements towards the end of the season. But will McLaren be able to give him the right machine?

The McLaren 2024 Mystery

The McLaren MCL38 livery has been revealed, and it has garnered positive reactions. They have opted for a black and orange color scheme, maintaining the Papaya identity. But beyond the livery, the team has been secretive about their latest car. McLaren seems to have taken a unique design path with their car. While most teams are going for an underbite design with their side pods, the Papaya team has chosen an overbite approach, deviating from the trend set by Red Bull’s aggressive letterbox shape.

The team has been relatively conservative in revealing their car’s details. This might be because of their development progress and a desire not to reveal too much before testing. They conducted a test run at Silverstone on the same day as Mercedes. This provided a glimpse of their car slightly earlier than usual.

Read More – Christian Horner Was “Interested” to Sign Lando Norris as Max Verstappen’s Teammate After McLaren Failed Him

McLaren believes they have made significant strides with the MCL38 and are confident in their ability to challenge Red Bull. The question remains whether they can close the gap to Red Bull from the beginning of the season or if further development will be necessary. What are your thoughts on this?