Lando Norris Reflects on McLaren’s Stunning Revival

Lando Norris celebrated McLaren’s remarkable turnaround after securing pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with the team poised to win their first constructors’ title in 26 years. McLaren leads Ferrari by 21 points ahead of the final race which offers a maximum of 44 points. Norris also sits second in the drivers’ standings, eight points ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Norris, who joined McLaren in 2019 credited CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella for the team’s transformation.

He praised Stella for creating a positive environment and steering McLaren to the front of the grid. “It’s been a long rise and a journey I’ve shared with Zak,” Norris said. After struggling at the back of the field early in 2023, McLaren’s fortunes shifted following significant car upgrades mid-season, propelling them into contention with Ferrari, Mercedes and even Red Bull. Another upgrade in May solidified their position as consistent front-runners.

Reflecting on the team’s journey, Norris said, “Breaking the barrier to compete with and outperform Ferrari and challenging Red Bull, is a testament to the team’s hard work.” Norris expressed pride in staying with McLaren, despite opportunities to join other top teams, including Red Bull. He emphasized his faith in the team’s potential, saying, “I could have gone elsewhere and won races earlier but I wanted to achieve success with McLaren—the team that gave me my F1 debut.”

As McLaren aims to complete their historic turnaround, Lando Norris reflected on their unexpected success this season. “We were targeting next year but achieving this now makes me proud. It’s been an incredible journey and I’ll be very happy if we finish it off,” he said.