McLaren boss reveals DEMANDING attitude from 'perfect' F1 star

McLaren

McLaren boss reveals DEMANDING attitude from 'perfect' F1 star

Zak Brown is pleased with his pair of drivers and highlights how experience changes attitude

Luis Raya

Monday 28 August 2023 09:57

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed that Lando Norris is now confident enough to make certain demands of the team, rather than ask for permission, insisting that the 23-year-old has a 'perfect blend of youth and experience'.

McLaren confirmed late in 2022 that Oscar Piastri would replace Daniel Ricciardo, following contractual controversy with Alpine, teaming up with Norris for the 2023 season.

The F1 rookie has not disappointed next to his more experienced counterpart, coming close to the podium on several occasions and securing a fantastic second place in the sprint race of the Belgian Grand Prix.

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And Brown now believes that with both Norris and Piastri at the helm, things are looking good for McLaren.

Brown heaps praise on Norris and Piastri

Piastri and Norris are one of the strongest pairings on the grid, according to Brown

“I think now I've got the perfect blend of youth and experience in Lando,” Brown told McLaren's website. “He's now five seasons in, and then of course, there’s Oscar Piastri. So, I think I'm fortunate that we've got two young guns, but one is actually pretty experienced now.” “He’s awesome,” he added when talking about Norris. “So, with his race craft, his consistency, his feedback and now his leadership and decisiveness, he's a very experienced Formula 1 driver now.

"I see understandably in Oscar and other young drivers, there’s lots of questions from the team. When you ask him about a tyre decision or something, there's more of a conversation of, ‘Well, what do you guys think?’ Which is where Lando started, where any rookie starts.

“But now, when you listen to Lando on the radio, it’s ‘I want these tyres. I want to pit now.’ There's just a decisiveness that comes with the experience and confidence he has to make the call. The younger drivers don't have that experience yet, so it tends to be a little bit more, ‘Here’s what I think, but what do you think?,’ he said.

“That's definitely the way to do it because I think you can only do that once you have enough experience and confidence. When you've been there before. That’s where Lando has really grown. He's grabbed that experience and is now more confident in what he wants out of the car, out of a weekend and out of a strategy."