How McLaren team principal Andrea Stella rates Lando Norris’ 2024 season and why he believes Norris now has “all the qualities” to become world champion
Andrea Stella has gained “some key insights” in the 2024 Formula One season – especially about his driver Lando Norris. He has “grown enormously” over the course of the year, emphasized McLaren team principal Stella at the presentation of the new MCL39-Mercedes for 2025.
Norris was an “exceptional driver” even before his first victory in Miami, but he has since impressed with “impressive consistency.” Stella: “If you look at the number of podium finishes and the points scored, then from Miami onwards he has scored as many points as Max.”
At least almost: From the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who went on to become world champion, scored 301 points, while Norris collected 291 points over the 18 race weekends until the end of the season.
So the problem from McLaren’s point of view was the season opener. “That’s where the big points gap against Max arose,” says Stella – and that’s true: Verstappen scored 110 points in the first five race weekends of the year, but Norris only 58. The Briton then spent the season playing catch-up and was unable to make up the deficit.
The reason for this can be found in the “performance of the car,” says Stella in retrospect. “If we look at [the opening weekend in] Bahrain, we were probably only the fourth-best team at the time until we made the first major upgrade in Miami. From that point on, the gap between Lando and Max remained fairly constant.”
Norris learns quickly in duel with Verstappen
Norris has shown a “particularly impressive” development during this phase, says Stella. His driver has learned quickly – for example, in duels with championship leader Verstappen. “He adapted from race to race. In Mexico, he immediately knew what to do.”
Another example of Norris’ maturity in the race car was the Grand Prix in Las Vegas. “There he completely changed his pace with the last set of tires after we had problems with the first two sets,” explains Stella.
For him, one thing is certain: “Lando now has all the qualities, skills and the right attitude to become world champion. But I can say the same about Oscar.”
