McLaren loyalist, Norris could have 'won races much earlier' with other teams

Lando Norris, loyalty rewarded. Since its beginnings in Formula 1, in 2019, the Briton has always remained loyal to the Woking team and has experienced the incredible progression of the British team in recent years. A regular at a time when McLaren vegetated in the soft underbelly of the championship, the English driver remained faithful for his last six seasons until reaching the supreme objective in 2024: winning a Constructors' title with his long-standing team, the first since 1998! At that time, the Bristol native was not even born yet!

“There have been some really nice seasons. We didn’t start off very well last year, but I had some good moments. It started with [Carlos Sainz] and we went forward, backward, forward, backward. There was never really a click, and we couldn't make any progress, Lando Norris remembers. It was difficult to cross the barrier that separated us from Ferrari, Mercedes et Red Bull, because for so long they were the ones who dominated Formula 1. Today, not only have we broken that barrier over the past year and a half, but we have risen to the top of the hierarchy to become the best and most successful team, with the hope of winning races."

"I had opportunities, but I wanted to do it with McLaren"

McLaren has made meteoric progress since the start of 2023. Less than two years ago, the British team had a disastrous start to the season at the back of the grid, before returning to the forefront in the second half of the season and confirming its form in 2024. However, after the first Grands Prix of 2023, Lando Norris was close to leaving McLaren faced with the lack of progress of the Woking team… before finally staying and even to extend his contract at the beginning of 2024. A wise choice and rewarded with a world title, but also with his first victories in Formula 1. The Englishman reveals that he could have joined a top team earlier in his career and won his first Grand Prix well before 2024.

“It’s definitely been a longer climb than expected to get to where we are, which has been fun and I really enjoyed it, entrusts the four-time Grand Prix winner in 2024. The thing I'm most proud of and happy about is to still be here, to be at the Papayas, because I believed in this team for many years. I had the opportunity to not be [at McLaren] anymore and win races much earlier in my career… I had those opportunities, but I believed in it and I just wanted to do it with McLaren."

"I wanted to do it with the guys who gave me my chance in Formula 1, He adds. And even if we didn't think it would be possible this year, we would have hoped it would be possible next year. Next year was kind of our basic goal, on paper. The fact that we're achieving it this year is an even greater achievement. The work is not done, and Andrea [Stella] will be happy for me to say that, but I'm proud to be part of this journey, to have done it with McLaren for so many years." Now, Lando Norris' final goal with McLaren will obviously be to go and win the world title... Drivers.

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