Despite his undeniable talent, McLaren’s Lando Norris has yet to secure an F1 race victory. With 15 podiums to his name, the Briton holds the unwanted record of having the most podiums without a win. Some have criticized Norris’ experience and racecraft, while others have cited the lack of a competitive car as the primary factor.
Christian Hewgill, speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, defended Norris by emphasizing the underpowered machinery he has driven throughout his F1 career. Hewgill acknowledged that Norris may have missed potential wins on two occasions: the 2021 Italian GP and the 2021 Russian GP. However, he maintained that Norris is a capable driver and that McLaren is working to provide him with a car that can challenge for victories.
In the 2021 Italian GP, Norris was under team orders to not attack Daniel Ricciardo. In the Russian GP, Norris led the race until rain began to fall. His decision to stay out on slick tires on a wet track ultimately cost him the win to Lewis Hamilton.
McLaren is determined to help Norris break his winless streak in 2024. The team is targeting a second-fastest car on pure performance and has already delivered two podiums for Norris this year. Norris’ confidence has been boosted by his performance in the 2024 Chinese GP, where he believes his team is closing the gap to Red Bull.
Norris has expressed his belief that he and McLaren can challenge Red Bull and secure a win this year. The upcoming Miami GP will provide the first opportunity for Norris to make inroads into Red Bull’s dominance. McLaren is expected to introduce upgrades to the MCL38 at the event, aimed at unlocking pace and addressing tire degradation issues.
