McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown believes Lando Norris is committed to the team, having proved he is the man to lead going forward.
“Of course, he has days where he’s frustrated, just like any of us do when things aren’t going our way,” he said.
“But he’s in it for the long haul and he knows what’s coming and the people that are coming, so he’s doing a great job leading the team.”
Norris, now 23, began his F1 career with McLaren in 2019 when he partnered Ferrari man Carlos Sainz. The Briton finished his debut season in F1 in eleventh place, claiming 49 points.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
In 2020, Norris found himself with a new teammate in Daniel Ricciardo – a big name and eight-time race-winner.
Norris was the younger and less experienced driver but such matters proved irrelevant.
Norris finished the 2021 season with 160 points, leading him to a sixth-place finish.
Daniel Ricciardo finished the season behind the Englishmen in eighth place, totalling 115 points. The 2022 season was no different.
Lando Norris continued his consistent form with a seventh-placed finish (122 points), whereas Ricciardo found himself all the way down in eleventh with 37 points.
The 2023 season sees Norris leading the team with F1 debutant Oscar Piastri entering the fold.
Zak Brown has been vocal about his admiration for the Norris, ever defiant that he will lead team Papaya for the foreseeable.
“It’s the first time, he said, he’s ever been the oldest guy in the racing team, and I think it’s a great blend of youth and experience,” he said.
“I remember the first time I brought him into McLaren. I introduced him to Ron Dennis and [said], ‘This guy should be in a McLaren’, before I joined McLaren.
READ: Christian Horner reveals Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez warning
“So it feels like family to him.”
McLaren still trailing their rivals
The Woking-based team are yet to really challenge the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull, or Ferrari, but since a significant restructuring in the engineering departments, affluent times may be ahead.
McLaren will be praying issues will lead to circumvention, as Lando Norris undoubtedly tops the wishlist of many of the major teams.
In addition, Norris has witnessed several youth rivals succeed in the sport i.e. Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and George Russell. Norris is still without a race win and has never driven for a top-three team, all suggesting that somewhere down the line a McLaren exit is imminent.