Norris “proudest” to have caught with McLaren as F1 title looms

Lando Norris will take nice satisfaction if he leads McLaren to its first System 1 constructors’ title in 26 years after revealing he has beforehand turned down alternatives to depart the staff.

McLaren leads second-placed Ferrari by 21 factors heading into Sunday’s Abu Dhabi season finale, the place Norris took pole place and can begin alongside team-mate Oscar Piastri on the entrance row.

The Woking-based squad’s turnaround has been one of many tales in 2024, having completed no greater than fourth within the earlier three years.

Norris, who took his maiden race victory in Could’s Miami Grand Prix, pushed Max Verstappen nearer than anyone although the Pink Bull driver nonetheless claimed a fourth world championship.

However McLaren is now the heavy favorite to land the constructors’ crown and for Norris, it will justify sticking with the squad since his F1 debut in 2019.

“Oscar’s most likely lucky to not undergo these first few years that we have had,” he stated. “I imply, there’s some very enjoyable years. Yeah, that is true. We did not begin off nice final yr, however I had some nice occasions.

“We made progress, stepped again, made progress, stepped again. Nothing ever clicked, actually, and by no means continued to develop.

“It was exhausting simply to interrupt that barrier of getting near Ferrari, Mercedes, and Pink Bull as a result of for such an extended time frame, they have been the fellows who’ve dominated System 1.

“Now, not solely have we damaged that barrier during the last yr and a half, we have risen to the highest of it to change into the perfect staff and main and hopefully to go on to win.

“So it undoubtedly has been an extended rise to get to the place we’re, which has been enjoyable and I’ve actually liked it. I feel the factor I will be proudest and most comfortable about is the actual fact I am nonetheless right here. The actual fact I am nonetheless in papaya as a result of I believed within the staff for a few years.

“I had alternatives to not be in papaya and to possibly go on and win races at an earlier stage in my profession and people form of issues. I had these alternatives, however I believed and I wished to easily do it with McLaren. I wished to do it with the fellows who gave me my alternative in System 1.

Pole man Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, arrives in Parc Ferme

Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos

“And as a lot as we did not assume it was going to be potential this yr, we’re hoping for subsequent yr.

“Subsequent yr was our form of in-line goal, on-paper goal. The actual fact we’re doing it this yr is a fair greater achievement.”

Whereas McLaren’s rise again to the highest of F1 has garnered loads of consideration and earned reward for each drivers and the staff construction in place, Norris feels there’s nonetheless not a full comprehension of the exhausting work required to perform the feat.

“I do not assume, merely from the surface, folks would give McLaren and my staff sufficient credit score for what they’ve carried out, what they’ve rotated, as a result of it isn’t a straightforward sport,” he added.

“It could look easy at occasions from the surface and issues like that. And even I feel generally issues are extra easy than what they give the impression of being. We will solely simply give a hats off to the entire staff, as a result of numerous issues have modified.

“Individuals have come and gone, and Andrea [Stella, team principal] has carried out an unbelievable job. So to be a part of this complete story, to be a part of it not lengthy after Zak [Brown, CEO] joined McLaren [in 2016] and began altering issues and making McLaren right into a barely extra comfortable place than it was prior.

“I have been alongside the journey with Zak, and we have gone by means of numerous issues collectively, highs and lows and emotional occasions.

“Job not carried out, and Andrea will probably be comfortable that I say it, however I am proud to be on this journey, to have been on it with McLaren for thus a few years, and I will be very comfortable when hopefully it is all completed off.”