The turnaround in form for McLaren throughout the 2023 F1 season has left Lando Norris optimistic about a potential title challenge as he begins to look at next season.
McLaren started the year with a car it admitted had missed its development targets.
Norris ended the Bahrain Grand Prix last on the road, two laps down, with the MCL60 seemingly the slowest car on the grid.
However, upgrades introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix went a long way to address its weaknesses and quickly began to transform the squad’s fortunes.
Norris was fourth that weekend, improving to second at the British Grand Prix a week later.
More podiums have followed while team-mate Oscar Piastri chalked up an F1 Sprint win in Qatar.
It highlighted the remarkable turnaround made by the team in a few short months.
“Since we bought this upgrade to Austria, I’ve been the second-highest-scoring driver on the grid,” said Norris, who has been frustrated not to convert his own chances at times.
“I think we’ve been the second-highest-scoring team, potentially.”
Had the championship started in Austria, McLaren would indeed sit second to Red Bull, having scored 265 points since F1 visited the Red Bull Ring.
In the opening nine rounds of the year, Norris and Piastri had delivered McLaren just 17 points in the constructors’ title.
“Of course, we’ve taken some massive steps forward and at the same time, considering we’re talking about fighting the Red Bull,” Norris said after challenging Verstappen during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
“It’s still a very, very good thing for what we’ve achieved this year.
“We’re talking about one of the best drivers in Formula 1 ever, in one of the most dominating cars and obviously, it’s a pairing and things have to go well together, but we’re talking about a guy who’s scored 17 [wins]… one of the most dominated years in Formula 1 history.
“For us 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.
“We know we still have plenty more things to come next year, so I’m excited,” he added, noting the prospect of mounting a title challenge.
“Having that as a thought, it’s quite a faraway thought – 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.”
Key staff are set to join McLaren over the European winter, while next year’s car will not only build on the lessons learned in 2023 but do so with the benefit of a new simulator and wind tunnel, which have come online.
While too late to fundamentally influence next year’s package, they will play a part in streamlining the Woking’s operations.
With the upturn from Austria suggesting it has a firm grip on the fundamentals that underpin the current regulations, the optimism Norris has in a McLaren title charge seems well-placed.
