The Lando Norris case is one of the most controversial in F1. A driver of undeniable speed, he has always been considered part of the club of prodigious talents from the new generation, led by Max Verstappen. However, last season severely tested the young Englishman. The exhausting comparison with the far more experienced and now four-time world champion Dutchman emotionally knocked him out. At times during the last campaign, it was evident how the obligation to win had become a burden under which the Bristol native collapsed.
The incredible performance leap of the MCL38 projected Lando into an unexpected contention, even, and especially, for the men of the historic English team themselves. It’s worth noting that, in the 2024 championship, the Englishman achieved his first career victory (Miami, ed.). At the same time, in the history of modern F1, no driver has won the championship in the same year they secured their first win. An achievement narrowly missed by Lewis Hamilton in 2007, when he debuted in the top motorsport class driving for McLaren.
Assuming that the Woking car was on average the best vehicle on the grid last season, Norris fueled the belief that he is a driver incapable of seizing favorable opportunities offered by fortune. Without a doubt, Lando squandered advantageous situations, such as in Monza in 2021, finishing behind the “disappeared” Daniel Ricciardo in his post-Red Bull version. Or the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, where he led authoritatively before the rain arrived.
Not to mention the hesitant starts last season. Deficiencies that, in various competitive contexts, benefited Max Verstappen and even his teammate, the Australian Oscar Piastri, far too often. For instance, at the Roggia chicane in the last Italian Grand Prix, seen from Charles Leclerc’s perspective for the second time in his career, the Briton threw away much of the race. Hence, the question arises: Is Norris still a rough diamond, or does he risk remaining an eternal promise?
F1, Norris: the best is yet to come, perhaps…
In short, does the 1999-born driver’s performance in the last campaign reflect his true potential, or is his growth process still “a work in progress” despite six seasons in F1? Our impression is that Norris is a rough diamond, lacking experience at the highest levels, both on and off the track. The Dutch world champion, realizing the inferiority of his car from Imola onwards, based his season on man-marking his title rival. The skirmishes in Austin and Mexico City were part of a strategy aimed at intimidating Lando. Mission accomplished…
This, despite the various penalties he incurred. Norris should now have gained the experience necessary to handle close duels with any rival, provided Andrea Stella’s team continues its upward trajectory in terms of performance. If the 2025 car proves to be as competitive as last year’s technical project, Lando will need to immediately establish the hierarchy within the team. The “papaya rules” were engagement rules designed for securing the constructors’ championship. That was understandable, and we all agree on that.
Nevertheless, the drivers’ title ambitions must be a logical consequence of on-track performance supremacy starting from the next Australian Grand Prix. At that point, team strategies will no longer apply because McLaren is also eager to bring one of its drivers back to the top of the world. Ferrari, thanks to the best lineup on the grid, promises to be a formidable competitor, while Red Bull and Mercedes will still have their say in 2025. For Lando’s career, 2025 must be the year of his consecration to avoid being inevitably labeled as an eternal promise.
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