html
[ad1]
Lando Norris has expressed that even with an "ideal season," he believes winning the 2024 Formula 1 championship would have been unlikely, as Red Bull remained consistently competitive compared to McLaren during the early part of the season. McLaren experienced a phenomenal turnaround midway through last year, ultimately finishing as Red Bull's closest challenger. However, at the start of 2024, Ferrari took over as a prominent contender.
The turning point for McLaren came during the Miami Grand Prix when significant upgrades enabled Norris to achieve his first victory and transformed their MCL38 into a formidable rival against Red Bull’s RB20. Despite McLaren positioning itself at the top of the Constructors’ Championship following their progress, Max Verstappen clinched the Drivers' title with two races still remaining in the season.
Norris reflected on previous setbacks that prevented him from extending his fight for the championship until its conclusion—a frustration amplified by Verstappen's belief that had he driven for McLaren, he would have claimed victory sooner. Disagreeing with this claim, Norris argued that Red Bull was never at such a disadvantage as McLaren was initially.
“I take immense pride in what our entire team has accomplished—maintaining our challenge and closing gaps where we did,” Norris shared with reporters including those from Motorsport Week. “At the start of this year, we were clearly positioned as fourth-best; however, Red Bull has rarely indicated any weakness in their performance.”
Norris noted there was simply too vast a points gap created early on due to Red Bull's dominance: “We had an excessive deficit right out of the gate; they’ve proven consistently strong enough to prevent us from catching up.”
Looking Ahead: Excitement for 2025 Season
As anticipation builds for next year’s competition, Norris is eager about stepping into 2025 knowing that McLaren aims to be immediately competitive when racing resumes. The foresight offers renewed optimism after years without asserting themselves firmly from very beginning.
“We’re optimistic we’ll approach next season equipped with a car capable of contending for victories right off,” he stated confidently. “It’s been six long years since we've felt this way."
While presenting enthusiasm regarding future prospects and reflecting proudly on his maiden F1 win—alongside additional podiums—Norris acknowledged room for improvement within his team but remains content about finishing second overall in this reduced-championship journey.
Moreover: "Would there be alternate choices I could have made? Certainly! Do I truly believe my performance alone could achieve championship triumph despite perfection throughout? Honestly no—but merely reaching second is accomplishment enough given our circumstances."
READ MORE – Max Verstappen extends an invitation to Lando Norris regarding partnership opportunities at Red Bull.
[ad2]
