Following McLaren’s revitalization throughout the 2023 Formula 1 season, Lando Norris declares that the team is preparing “much more” for next year, aiming to challenge Red Bull.
Since the end of the summer break, McLaren has emerged as Red Bull’s main challenger thanks to a series of highly effective upgrades to the MCL60 since the race in Austria. Norris has achieved five podiums in the last six races, while Oscar Piastri also contributed two podiums, reflecting the positive impact of the technical restructuring under the leadership of Andrea Stella. The consistency in performance, in contrast to the fluctuations in performance of Ferrari and Mercedes, has raised expectations that the Woking team can challenge Max Verstappen and Red Bull in 2024.
When asked about the reality of this prospect, Norris stated: “Possibly. Since we introduced the updates in Austria, I have been the second highest points scorer on the grid. I believe we were the second most points team.”
“We have certainly made significant steps forward and at the same time, when considering the fight against Red Bull, I believe we have made significant progress this year. We are talking about competing with one of the best drivers in Formula 1 in one of the most dominant cars, and for us to go from the position we were in in Bahrain to coming closer and discussing fighting Red Bull is a good indicator for us. However, we know there is a lot more to be done next year, so I’m looking forward to . There’s no reason to think about it until next year, but I’m optimistic.”