Brown: Ricciardo Couldn't Challenge Norris

Zak Brown, reflects on Lando Norris’s rapid rise and dominance over Daniel Ricciardo, highlighting his early equivalence to Carlos Sainz.

The CEO of McLaren F1, has reflected on Lando Norris’s career since his debut in Formula 1. The American noted that the British driver matched Carlos Sainz’s level and then outperformed Daniel Ricciardo, which was never a given.

“Carlos and Lando were very close in terms of standings,” said Brown on the Beyond the Grid podcast. “Lando came in as a rookie and felt comfortable, not feeling the pressure from the other side.”

“Carlos was in his fifth season, and Lando could handle it. Daniel didn’t put him under pressure, which probably boosted his confidence significantly. Daniel is an incredible racer, and many thought he would show Lando how things are done.”

“But ultimately, the opposite happened. He beat Daniel, a driver who had seven Formula 1 victories at the time. Today, he no longer focuses on his teammate but on himself.”

According to Brown, Piastri, however, is on the same level as Norris, and he praises his driver duo: “Lando is as good as anyone in Formula 1, and Oscar complements him. Oscar isn’t quite there yet; he has some inconsistencies in tyre management, but these things happen.”

“What Lando achieved in his first year and a half, Oscar has matched. He is capable of doing everything Lando can do, and if he doesn’t, it’s more due to his inexperience.”

“Oscar is going to become more and more performant, and that’s why I’m very enthusiastic about our driver duo. Lando is as good as anyone in Formula 1, and with him and Oscar, I believe we have two of the best drivers possible.”