Lando Norris asserts McLaren F1 can thrive without hiring design legend Adrian Newey, emphasizing recent progress.
Lando Norris has challenged the current engineers at McLaren F1 to prove that the team can win again in Formula 1 without needing to hire design legend Adrian Newey.
Newey will be available on the market following his decision to leave Red Bull after nearly two decades with the reigning F1 champions.
Ferrari is the frontrunner to secure Newey’s services, and the British designer is not really a target for Zak Brown, as the McLaren CEO acknowledged in Miami.
Although Norris admits that it would be unwise for McLaren to pass up the opportunity to hire the most decorated designer in F1, he has pledged his support to his existing staff.
“What would he bring? I have no idea. If only I knew. Anyone who gets Adrian on their team is probably going to move forward. And he has a mind like few others.”
“It would thus be an honor, I think, for any team to have Adrian, especially with all that he has achieved since he has been in Formula 1, but also over the past five or ten years. Red Bull has been the most consistent team over the last 10 to 15 years. They have been more consistent than Mercedes, more than Ferrari, more than anyone else.”
“It would always be an excellent addition. I think anyone would tell him ‘welcome.’ But on the other hand, I think we are now in a very good position with who we have.”
“I am very happy. I think if you ask Zak [Brown], Andrea [Stella], they would tell you that they are very satisfied with the team we have right now. That’s what Zak said, in fact, after Adrian’s departure was announced.”
“I don’t know if Zak is bluffing! But we are in a year where we really want to try to push and catch up to Red Bull. It would be great if we did it without Adrian, just to prove how good our team is at the moment.”
“But yes, if he wants to come back to us, we would certainly never say no.”
When asked whether McLaren would have an easier task catching up to Red Bull without Newey’s involvement, who has stepped back from F1, Norris replied:
“Uh… yes, if everything on the Red Bull depends on him, then of course, you would say yes. I am sure that Adrian is not the only smart person at Red Bull.”
“They are not only good because they have a good car; they are good at everything, they normally have the most reliable and highest performing car, with the best pit stops.”
“All of this is not due to Adrian. So it’s not like they are going to lose him and suddenly struggle. It’s still a very good team that will continue to perform very well.”
“One might hope that some of their little extras and some of the smartest elements they have might not be able to develop as quickly.”
“We have a lot of very smart people, we are on the right track, and if we had the team we have now a few years ago, we would certainly be much closer, if not ahead of Red Bull.”
Norris Defiant: McLaren Can Triumph Without Newey. Norris Defiant: McLaren Can Triumph Without Newey
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