In the aftermath of Lando Norris’ Miami GP win, Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater asked McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, whether he was now getting a ‘different’ driver in Norris after his maiden Grand Prix win. Citing the examples of Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg, the American billed his driver as one of the future world champions.
Brown acknowledged that winning his first Grand Prix has lifted a weight off his shoulders. Norris is known to be a very self-critical person, and this victory will give him the confidence he requires to excel in the sport. Brown is confident that now Norris could be on the path of emulating world champions like Button and Rosberg.
He told Slater, “It’s awesome. I mean there have been people, like Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg who have gone on to win world championships and it took them long to win a race.”
Former McLaren driver, Button won his first race on the 113th time of asking, at the 2006 Hungarian GP. He then went on to win the 2009 title with Brawn GP. Rosberg, on the other hand, debuted in 2006 but his first win in the sport came during the 2012 Chinese GP. Rosberg then went on to defeat Lewis Hamilton, at Mercedes, for the 2016 crown.
Norris, too, has had to wait for an eternity to finally stand on the top step of the podium. The signs are indeed encouraging for the 24-year-old as McLaren finally seem to have given him a car that is capable of winning races consistently.
Lando Norris sets his sights on 2025 title after Miami GP win
Undoubtedly, Norris is a future world champion. McLaren are also building their team around the #4 driver. The Woking team brought their first upgrade package of the season at the Miami GP – and it led to Norris clinching his first F1 victory.
Naturally, the mood within the McLaren camp is one of optimism. Both Norris and Brown are expecting to unlock even more pace from the MCL38 as the season progresses. Norris has signaled his intention to be in the mix for the title in 2025, per Motorsport Week.
While Norris will be looking forward to the 2025 season eagerly, the 2024 season still has a long way to go. The Woking-based team drew first blood at Miami with their upgrades. However, Ferrari will also bring their own revamped SF-24 at the next Grand Prix weekend at Imola. The 2024 title may as well be decided by the team that wins the development war this year.
