Season 6 of Netflix’s Drive to Survive reveals McLaren’s struggles and Lando Norris’s frustrations during the 2023 F1 season.
The sixth season of Drive to Survive, the Netflix series about Formula 1, highlighted early-season tensions within McLaren in 2023. Beware of spoilers if you haven’t watched Season 6 of the series.
During McLaren F1’s dismal start to the season, Lando Norris is seen repeatedly expressing frustration with the team’s hierarchy. “I could go to Red Bull and steal their car,” he states after finishing last, two laps behind the winner, at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix.
A scene depicts Norris and McLaren CEO Zak Brown in deep conversation, showing the British driver contemplating a departure from the team amidst rumors at the time linking him to Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen.
“Often in this sport, people spread rumors to try to break relationships, destabilize teams and drivers,” Brown explains in the series. And Christian Horner quickly illustrates this point by praising Norris.
“I think Lando is one of the most talented drivers on the grid. In the right car, he would be a winning driver, no doubt,” says the Red Bull team principal. “Can his career afford another year in the doldrums?”
“A driver’s career is time-limited, and he must make the right decisions for himself. We would certainly be interested in him. I think he would fit into our environment. If he proves himself, he will have plenty of options – he just needs to make the right choice.”
“I’d like to know what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes”
Another scene shows Norris, Brown, and Oscar Piastri in a media briefing before the Miami weekend, where they are informed that Norris’s contract will inevitably be a topic of discussion: “The only other thing to note is about Lando’s contract.”
“We were asked if there were any exit clauses, to which we responded negatively. All we can say is that as a team, we are solidifying, we are sticking together, we don’t listen to the media noise.”
Understandably, Norris had a tough start to the season, scoring only 12 points up until Austria, and he even mentions that he would like to drive for another team for better chances.
“Sometimes, I think I would like to know what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes. I think to myself, ‘what if I went here or there?’ Who wouldn’t think about these things?”
Ultimately, McLaren managed to secure Norris’s long-term commitment following a formidable return to form starting from Silverstone, with the team achieving numerous podiums in the second half of the season.
McLaren Season 6 Tensions. McLaren Season 6 Tensions
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