Lando Norris F1 News: McLaren star admits doubts over team future

McLaren

Norris admits McLaren future DOUBTS

The British driver has raced for the team in F1 since 2019

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson

Thursday 21 November 2024 10:58 Updated: 18:08

McLaren Formula 1 star Lando Norris has confessed to having had doubts over his future with the team.

Norris made his debut in the sport with the papaya outfit in 2019, having previously been a part of the McLaren junior driver programme.

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton makes FINAL RACE announcement as Mercedes replacement given early chance

Article continues under video

During that time, McLaren's pace has transformed dramatically. In 2019, the team were very much a midfield outfit, and steadily since, they have progressed to where they are now - at the front of the grid and within touching distance of their first constructors' championship since 1998.

However, it has not always been an upward trajectory for the Woking-based team. In 2022, for example, they fell one place in the constructors' standings from third to fourth, and in 2023, they started the season with one of, if not the worst cars on the grid.

That showed at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix that year, with Oscar Piastri retiring very early on, and Norris finishing P17 - last of the running cars.

Lando Norris has driven for McLaren since 2019

McLaren currently sit top of the constructors' standings

Lando Norris admits McLaren doubts

Remarkably, despite their dismal start to the season, McLaren were able to turn their 2023 season around with some incredible mid-season upgrades, and the team have not looked back since.

Despite not starting this season at the front of the grid, an early upgrade package soon put them alongside the very best cars in the sport, and ever since, anything they have bolted onto the car has seemed to work.

This has allowed Norris to challenge Max Verstappen for the drivers' championship this season, albeit he did have a big deficit to make up after the start of the campaign, and it looks like a bid set to fail.

Lando Norris has been the closest challenger to Max Verstappen in 2024

Naturally, the Brit sees this as justification for remaining loyal to the team over the years, signing multiple contract renewals even when their form was not the best and pundits were questioning his future with the team.

"I’m very happy that I've stuck with the team that I believed in even when a lot of people didn't," Norris explained to The Race.

"And for all of that to actually come true, when it was hard to believe at times, when we could take two steps forward and then step back, and then catch up and then drop back."

The McLaren star did confess, however, that there were times when doubts over his future with the team crossed his mind, admitting that he could have gone to different teams in the past, but that he is very glad he stuck it out.

"There were times when I did question it for sure, on what's the best for my future and what do I want to do," Norris added.

Lando Norris won his first GP in Miami this year

"The fact we've been able to go from where we were to beating Red Bull, when not even 12 months ago they had the most dominant season, that’s an incredible achievement.

"I'm happy that I stuck through the harder times when I could have picked an easier route out of it, could have gone to different teams.

"The team understand that too, the journey that we've been on together, and I think they appreciate that, which probably makes me the happiest out of all of it."

Although his drivers' championship bid looks set to fall short, Norris' loyalty looks as though it could pay off in terms of a constructors' championship, provided McLaren maintain their form over the last three rounds of the season.

The team currently lead Ferrari by 36 points, with Red Bull trailing by 49 points in third with just three grands prix and one sprint race to go.

To rep your favourite papaya driver, click here to shop McLaren merch!

F1 Mercedes McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri