Responding to Lando Norris’ Demand, McLaren Boss Believes He Can Do It Himself: “Sure He Knows He Can”

Ever since his debut in F1, Lando Norris has earned the reputation of being the next big thing in the sport. He is one of those talents that is hailed as the best among the newer generation of drivers. However, failing to win any race until now, the Briton hasn’t lived up to the expectations. He still believes he has it in him to compete with the best and McLaren CEO Zak Brown backs him to do exactly that.

Norris and George Russell come from the same generation of British drivers and have competed against each other since junior leagues. Driving for Williams until the 2021 season, Russell could not register a win. However, he got the monkey off his back last year, racing for Mercedes. Lando, however, hasn’t, but Brown believes he can do that and beat Russell as well.

Speaking with ESPN recently, the McLaren boss said, “He wants to be winning races, I’m sure he knows he can beat George and he has beaten George before… and he goes out and wins. He’s going to be anxious people he’s raced with don’t get too many more wins before he starts getting his.”

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Competing against the likes of George is a desire Lando expressed recently. However, given McLaren’s steady downward trend year-by-year, things do not look too uphill. Getting a seat in a competitive team like Red Bull could be a solution. Some experts warn against the move, though, as racing alongside someone as fierce as Max Verstappen could prove to be costly.

Frustrated Lando Norris wants to compete against George Russell and Carlos Sainz

2020 was a magical year for McLaren as the team secured 3rd position in the constructors’ standings. However, performance has only seen a slump since then, as the team was 4th and 5th in 2021 and 2022, respectively. 2022 could have been the breakout season for the Woking-based team, given the introduction of new regulations. Things did not go as planned, though, and the frustration is only building up for Norris, who is currently under a contract that runs until the end of the 2025 season.

Speaking with Autosport recently, Lando said, “I wish I was there with them [Sainz and Russell]. Of course, I wish I was in that battle.”

“I feel like I deserve to be in that battle. I feel like I can be, and I think it will be a great battle,” he continued. “But it’s just not the position that I’m in at the minute… I can race against them in the future, and I can do the same as what they’re doing.”

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After being beaten by Alpine in the constructors’ standings last year, McLaren and Norris will be raring to go. Could the 2023 season finally be the one for Lando? Will he finally register a race win and breathe a sigh of relief?