Norris is on Path of Great Drivers Schumacher Alonso Raikkonen

Stella Believes Norris is on Path of Great Drivers

29/01/2024

Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, has expressed firm belief in Lando Norris’s trajectory towards greatness. He sees Norris not just as a promising talent but as a driver on the path of F1’s legendary figures, underscoring his potential to reach the heights of motor racing excellence.

Andrea Stella believes that Lando Norris’s qualities as an F1 driver are on par with the elite with whom he has previously worked.

Norris’s tenure at McLaren has been extended beyond 2025 – the total duration of this new period has not been confirmed – with the Woking-based team placing long-term trust in its current driver duo of Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri.

Ferrari hasn’t said how long Charles Leclerc will stay with his new contract,” justifies Zak Brown, McLaren CEO. “We want to give as little information as possible to our competitors.”

Norris has achieved 13 podiums, without a win yet, his first pole position, and with McLaren making giant strides through constant development in 2023, he saw no reason to jump ship so soon.

Team boss Andrea Stella has been full of praise for his two drivers and, having worked closely with world champions Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, and Michael Schumacher, says he fully believes that Norris has comparable talent.

“Lando is definitely at their level,” says Stella.

“He falls into the same category. He has the talent of a world champion, the underlying talent but also the mindset, the work ethic. It’s all there.”

Stella sees Norris’s constant improvement as his most common trait with his established peers.

“They keep getting better. True world champions improve year after year. The same is true for Lando.”

“They use their intelligence, their work ethic, gather the best people around them, and do everything they can to improve.”

Norris is on Path of Great Drivers Schumacher Alonso Raikkonen. Norris is on Path of Great Drivers Schumacher Alonso Raikkonen

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