Lando Norris happy to ‘prove critics wrong’ over decision to reject Red Bull for McLaren
Lando Norris asserted that he was delighted to silence critics who questioned his decision to not sign for Red Bull.
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Max Verstappen and Lando Norris (Via: Imago)
McLaren signed Lando Norris back in 2019 and later gave him a massive four-year extension, ending in 2025. However, Norris’s strong performances have opened McLaren’s eyes that sees him as the future. Therefore the latest renewal will see the Briton staying beyond 2025. As the previous contract was supposed to end this season, this led to rumors that he might join Red Bull as Max Verstappen’s teammate. However, this didn’t happen. The 26-year-old was pleased to prove critics wrong for not trusting him at McLaren.
Lando Norris stated that too many people doubted his decision to stay with McLaren and thought it was a bad idea. He mentioned that it felt good proving some of those people wrong. Norris explained that their doubts made him more determined to show that staying with McLaren was the right choice. Currently, his performance is at peak sitting at the second position behind Max Verstappen in drivers standing. Therefore, the Briton reckoned he made the best decision staying at McLaren.
There were a lot of people that didn't agree or thought it was a silly thing to do, so it’s nice to prove some of them wrong.Lando Norris told Sky Sports F1
Norris explained that it wasn’t just him who proved the critics wrong but the entire team at McLaren. He emphasized that the team’s hard work and capabilities showed everyone that they have what it takes to succeed. The 26-year-old believed that the team’s success is a result of their combined effort and determination. This demonstrated that staying with McLaren was the right decision for both him and the team.
It was not me who proved them wrong, but the team proved them wrong. They have got what is needed.Lando Norris stated.
Lando Norris shares insights into the morale within McLaren
Lando Norris explained that being in a McLaren F1 team gave him deeper insights compared to people outside of the sport. He realized one of the key things was the strong team structure and positive morale within McLaren. The Briton mentioned that he had already noticed these factors in his early years. He believed that this inside knowledge helped him and the team work better together and achieve success.
I guess when you're within a team, and when you're within F1, you understand things a lot more than people do on the outside. One of those things was the structure we had, the morale we had within the team. This was stuff I already saw last year.Lando Norris added.
Certainly, Lando Norris reckoned being in the best team that he is already and working with passionate engineers gives deeper insights of the sport. This helps build positive morale which is crucial for any F1 driver to perform at his best. Fans hope Norris’s will continue to help McLaren as well as him in future endeavors. Currently, the focus is still on the 2024 season as it remains with the last 10 races.
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Gaurang Kadam
(535 Articles Published)