Lando Norris hails McLaren achievement as 'BEST EVER' in F1

McLaren

Norris hails McLaren achievement as 'BEST EVER' in F1

Norris has heaped praise on McLaren following their change of fortunes in Formula 1

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 2 September 2023 09:27

Lando Norris has stated that the turnaround his McLaren team have shown in 2023 is one of the 'biggest ever seen in Formula 1'.

McLaren started the season poorly, scoring just 17 points from their first eight races.

However, since then they have really kicked on and a raft of updates has made their car extremely competitive, taking two grand prix podiums and scoring 94 points in the last five races.

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They now sit fifth in the constructors' championship and will be hoping to close the gap to the top four in the remaining races this season.

In Norris and Oscar Piastri, they have one of the most envied driver line-ups on the grid, and both will hope to one day become world champions, either at McLaren or elsewhere.

In this sense, it is vital for McLaren to show their drivers that they can produce a quick car, and develop it as the season goes on into an even better car. Norris believes that they have certainly done the second bit right.

"I think the turnaround we've had is one of the biggest ever seen in Formula 1 in many, many years," Norris told media (via RacingNews365).

"In a regulation where people are saying it’s harder than ever to turn things around, I think it's the biggest step we've ever made, especially in the time that I've been here.

"I think we're understanding more and more, and we're proving up with the car that we have."

Great Monza memories for McLaren

Ricciardo sensationally led home a McLaren 1-2 at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix

McLaren will be hoping for their upturn in form to continue at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, a track that has provided them with some unforgettable memories recently.

Daniel Ricciardo provided them with their first race victory since 2012 when he led home a McLaren 1-2 at Monza in 2021, while Carlos Sainz was also able to snatch a second place finish at the 2020 event.

Neither Piastri or Norris have tasted victory in their young careers, and Monza could be the perfect place for them to do that.

He added: "Slow-speed corners and efficiency, if we can take as much of a step in these two phases as we have with high-speed, medium-speed corners, then that's half a second, or six-tenths just within these two stages.

"I think it's one of the most difficult things to achieve, but it's also the one area that we really have to focus on, and if we can do that, then we can compete for high positions anywhere."