Lando Norris hints McLaren could contend with Max Verstappen and Red Bull in 2024

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen traded fastest laps at the Brazilian GP.

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (Via IMAGO)

The 2023 season has witnessed McLaren‘s incredible resurgence, and their recent performance suggests they are well on their way to becoming legitimate contenders for the championship. Following his podium at the Brazilian GP, Lando Norris hinted that McLaren might be challenging Max Verstappen and Red Bull for the title in 2024, with a strong belief in the team’s remarkable progress this year.

At the beginning of the season, the Woking outfit faced significant challenges, struggling to keep up with their competitors and ranking on average as the second-slowest team on the grid. In the first eight races leading up to the Austrian GP, they accumulated only 17 points. However, their fortunes took a dramatic turn with the introduction of a significant upgrade during the Austrian GP.

Since introducing these upgrades, McLaren has undergone a remarkable transformation, emerging as the second-fastest team on average, trailing only Red Bull. With nine podium finishes, they currently hold the second-highest number of podiums in the season, 7 of which were courtesy of Norris, marking the best season of his Formula 1 career.

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Speaking about McLaren’s progress, Norris expressed his optimism for the future. Speaking to Lastwordonsports.com he mentioned:

Since we bought this upgrade to Austria, I’ve been the second-highest-scoring driver on the grid… Considering we’re talking about fighting the Red Bull, I think it’s still a very, very good thing – what we’ve achieved this year.

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Lando Norris asserts the promising development bodes well for McLaren in 2024

The transformation of McLaren from a team struggling to compete to one challenging Red Bull and Verstappen is a significant achievement. Norris pointed out:

 To go from where we were in Bahrain to getting close and talking about fighting a Red Bull, I think, are very good signs for us.

Zak Brown and Lando Norris (Credits: Planet F1)

McLaren’s future shines with promise in the forthcoming 2024 season. Lando Norris eagerly anticipates their planned advancements. Yet, in Formula 1, certainty remains elusive, a fact acknowledged by Norris and McLaren, as they remain cautious despite their optimism. “

I don’t want to think of that just now. There’s no point thinking of it until next year, but I’ll be optimistic, and I believe we can do it as a team.

?️ Lando Norris: “We know we still have plenty more things to come next year. So I'm excited. There’s no point thinking of it until next year but I'll be optimistic and I believe we can do it as a team.” ?

[via: Post Race Press Conference]#F1 #Formula1 #McLaren #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/iWs241jtd6
— McLaren F1 Updates ????????? (@TheMcLarenZone) November 6, 2023

McLaren has overtaken Aston Martin in the standings, securing the fourth position and closing in on the third spot by a margin of only 40 points. The Briton has also positioned himself ahead of both Ferrari drivers. It is on the brink of challenging Fernando Alonso for the third spot in the standings, with just a narrow 3-point gap separating them. If Norris achieves this, it will mark his best-ever finish in his career.