Breaking Through: McLaren’s Revival and Norris’ Championship Push
Just a short time ago, McLaren were struggling to find their footing. Today, they have one hand on the Constructors’ Trophy, with Lando Norris emerging as a genuine championship contender. Their transformation is nothing short of remarkable.
Let’s not forget that just a few races ago, Norris was still searching for his maiden win. After the heartbreaking 2021 Russian Grand Prix, where a cruel twist of fate denied the young Brit victory, Norris has repeatedly proven his championship calibre. Norris’ entire tenure in Formula One with McLaren has been truly impressive. While his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo faltered, Norris steadily collected podium finishes like they were infinity stones. Yet a win seemed frustratingly out of reach.
The Breakthrough
Lando Norris finally broke the curse in Miami earlier this year, coinciding with McLaren’s pivotal updates, which the Woking outfit seems to be reaping the benefits of to this day.
It was in the Florida heat that McLaren sent out their updated version of the MCL38 for the first time, and their efforts paid off. With every aspect of the car’s aerodynamics refined, they’ve managed to gain more downforce without increasing drag – effectively becoming more competitive in both slow corners and straight-line speed.
Since then, Norris has climbed the podium eight more times—two of which were race victories. First, in the Netherlands, where he triumphed over reigning champion Max Verstappen, and now in Singapore, where Norris claimed a dominant victory under the lights, with a commanding gap over his competition.
While it is mathematically possible for Lando Norris to win this year’s Drivers’ Championship, the question remains: do he and the team have what it takes to make it happen? Both seem to be making unnecessary mistakes.
In the streets of Singapore, Norris had built a gap of over 26 seconds to the rest of the pack—a decent cushion that should have allowed him to avoid unnecessary risks and bring it home safely. Yet, Lando kissed the barriers twice, making the McLaren garage sweat more from stress than the humid heat.
Despite these unnecessary mistakes, Norris commanded the race and crossed the finish line first, exactly as he had hoped.
Can McLaren Deliver?
So then, what about McLaren? It’s old news that Lando Norris is their best shot at the Drivers’ Championship this season. Yet, they seem hesitant to fully embrace him as their number one driver and prioritise him when necessary. Think back to Monza. Norris secured yet another stunning pole position, which he failed to capitalise on during Sunday’s main event. With both McLaren drivers, Piastri and Norris, running in second and third respectively, expectations were high for them to execute a Red Bull or Mercedes-style switcheroo—especially since they were no longer in contention for the win. But that did not happen.
Perhaps McLaren should take a lesson or two from Red Bull. While they may be ruthless in the driver market, they are unequivocal about their goals and utilise every resource in their arsenal to achieve them. For example, deploying Daniel Ricciardo in the RB to take the fastest lap and deny Lando Norris an extra championship point perfectly illustrates their aggressive approach. Although the implications of Red Bull essentially fielding four drivers is a conversation for another day.
Will McLaren seize the moment and make history, or will they falter under pressure and become another cautionary tale?
