Lando Norris Seeks World Title on Merit Amid McLaren Strategy

Lando Norris wants to earn the world title on merit, despite McLaren’s plan to prioritize him if necessary. Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that McLaren would focus their efforts on Norris as they aim for both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships this season. Norris expressed gratitude for the support but stressed he doesn’t want to win a championship without proving his worth.

Heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Norris trails Max Verstappen by 62 points with 232 points still available from the remaining eight races. McLaren is just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ standings with Ferrari a further 31 points back. Norris aims to beat Verstappen and his other competitors directly, emphasizing that he wants to prove himself on the track.

Stella clarified that while McLaren will support Norris, they intend to do so without compromising their principles of fairness and sportsmanship. Oscar Piastri, Norris’s teammate agreed to assist Norris if asked but highlighted that he still competes for his own results. Both Norris and Piastri downplayed the notion of Piastri sacrificing wins, stating that they want both drivers to be rewarded based on their performance.

Lando Norris needs to average just under eight points per race to surpass Verstappen. Despite recent successes in the Netherlands and Italy, Norris faces a challenging task with Verstappen being the highest scorer over the past ten races. Verstappen acknowledged recent struggles but remains confident that Red Bull can improve.

Mercedes plans to switch back to an older-specification floor after recent upgrades caused a decline in performance. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both noted the upgrade may have impacted their recent form negatively.