Lando Norris was brought into Formula 1 to partner Carlos Sainz in 2019 and the young Brit became an instant hit, with a number of podiums now on his CV despite not racing for a top team.
The 23-year-old finished as the best of the rest driver in last year’s drivers’ championship and was the only driver outside of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull to score a podium.
These impressive performances have led many to believe that Norris is a future F1 champion, meaning that he deserves to be driving for a title competitions team.
Despite heavy links to Red Bull, Norris has repeatedly put his faith in McLaren, signing a long-term contract with the team even after admitting that he had held talks with the energy drink giants.
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Some fans have questioned Norris’ decision to stay with McLaren, with the team once again starting slowly, following team CEO Zak Brown’s claims that the team are behind where they want to be already in pre-season testing.
Norris has now hit back at these doubters, claiming that staying with McLaren is best for his career, hinting that McLaren’s journey will certainly lead them to eventual championship glory.
“I’m still here for a few more years. It’s because I want to eb,” he told Sky Sports.
“It wasn’t because I knew we were going to be winning championships or anything.
“I knew that it’s a journey and we have to develop and improve on what we have to get to that point.
“We weighed up every possibility and there’s always a possibility that it takes longer than my contract. But I don’t think that’s a talking point for me at the minute.
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“I’m not the most patient guy but at the same time I’m happy with the work and the plans that the team are doing.”
Following Daniel Ricciardo’s sacking from McLaren, Norris’s responsibilities will increase with the team this season.
With the 23-year-old being the senior driver for the first time in his career, Oscar Piastri and the rest of the team will be looking to Norris for advice and feedback on how to improve and become as competitive as the possibly can be.