Autosport 2021 Top 50: #3 Lando Norris

Points, podiums, performances – they’ve all totalled higher for Lando Norris in his third season in Formula 1.

The first two are easily quantifiable – four rostrum visits, with 160 points resulting in sixth place in the drivers’ standings. But his regular race delivery this year, particularly in the first half of the season, was seriously impressive. For a long time, he was in a two-horse race to top this list.

Norris acknowledges that Carlos Sainz Jr departing to Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo coming aboard meant he had an increased role at McLaren, where he was expected to voice his opinions more and lead the team further. But with Ricciardo struggling so much in adapting to the MCL35M, the 22-year-old naturally became its lead driver, even if he didn’t get its headline-grabbing win.

PLUS: The small changes behind Norris’s rise to F1 stardom

But Norris also dutifully played the team game at Monza, urging McLaren to get Ricciardo to up his pace after the safety car and his bold pass on Charles Leclerc, then settling in to preserve its 1-2 from the chasers, with the consequences of the Max Verstappen/Lewis Hamilton shunt in his mind.

Sochi was his highlight, as he scored a first F1 pole in the challenging wet-dry conditions. Falling back at the start isn’t uncommon with Sochi’s long first stretch, but he overcame Sainz and then might well have defied Hamilton without the rain arriving.

Norris earned plaudits from Hamilton for his defence in Austria

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

He knows he needs to deliver feedback in such a scenario more calmly and improve when the McLaren goes to a track that suits it less. Corner-entry instability turning to understeer has been a challenge at times for Norris, who also needs to be more adaptable when it comes to adjusting to new circuits.

His biggest mistake was moving across on Sainz at the start in Brazil, during a run where his results tailed off a touch and Ricciardo finally reached his level, although he points out that the track runoff he was occupying was dropping away more steeply than it looked.

But he nailed all of McLaren’s early-season chances with aplomb – his drive in the wet at Imola, a day after he’d shown speed to take a shock pole only to run fractionally too wide during his final Q3 run, was superb. But his Red Bull and Mercedes-bothering performances in Austria, particularly the second race, were even better. 

PLUS: Why Norris doesn’t expect Mr Nice Guy praise for much longer

Lando Norris Q&A

How do you rate your 2021 season?

Lando Norris: I’m very happy relative to my last two seasons. You can’t really compare me to other people and other drivers that much. I’m very happy at least with the progress I made from last season working on my weak areas. I think I turned some of those into strengths. Some of them still need some work, but, overall, we’ve done a much better job.

The other things I did well this season was especially the first half. We came out the start of the season extremely strong and I think we maximised what we did very well. We maximised every opportunity we had to get onto the podiums to make the most of other people’s penalties and stuff.

He didn't get McLaren's only win of 2021, but second to Ricciardo at Monza was one of four podiums for Norris

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

What about the less positive moments?

Norris: There’s definitely been a few places where I've made mistakes for sure. Brazil was probably one of my biggest mistakes of the season. It's such a small thing but it cost us a good amount of points and a possible race with Ferrari and to be ahead of them. Maybe two or three other races where I just haven't been on it meant I was maybe just one or two positions down. I’ve not had any proper big crashes which have cost me points I think, unless you can remind me?

Spa?

Norris: Thankfully it didn't cost me much because it was half points anyway, but in terms of race collisions in lap one, I think Brazil was my first proper collision that I've had. Obviously I got caught up in the one in Budapest, but there nothing I can do – that was just [Valtteri] Bottas sending into everyone.

So, I think my consistency has been pretty good this season, I'm very happy with that. I’m happy with my qualifying – I’ve even been happy with my last few qualifying even when Daniel has been ahead. Of course, I'm not happy that Daniel has been ahead but he’s done a much better job now and if I fall behind him it's not because he's done a shit job and I've done an even worse job. He's actually doing a very good job now and we're pushing each other – we’re doing a good job together as a team.