Norris: I want to win, but I have to be patient

Lando Norris strives to show better results and has made no secret of the fact that he can’t wait to get a car at his disposal with which he can fight for victories. Unfortunately last year’s McLaren MCL36 wasn’t fast enough for that and Lando only made it onto the podium once a season. At the same time, he realistically assesses the situation and understands that in 2023 he will have to be patient again.

“The most important thing is that I continue to be inspired by the prospects that will arise in the future, and I know that,” Norris tells The Race. “The past four years have passed quickly and I hope the next one will come soon as well. I look forward to 2024 with particular impatience, but even more – 2025.

This enthusiasm masks to some extent the fact that I now have to be patient. But I’m in Formula 1 and I want to win now, I want the team to perform better. We need to be able to win championships, it will happen soon – I would say McLaren has everything for that.

At the moment we don’t have everything we need to win races and compete on an equal footing with the best teams in the world. But if we improve in all areas, we will be able to perform at a higher level – this will happen when we have several innovations that are already being worked on, and this will allow us to take a step forward in terms of results.

I may not be the most patient man, but you have to learn this trait when you are in Formula 1.

However we start the new season, this year we will have the opportunity to return to higher positions and confidently fight for the right to become the strongest in the middle group of teams. We missed that opportunity last year because Alpine did really well in some races, sometimes noticeably better than us, which allowed them to get ahead of us.

But McLaren must return to 4th in the Constructors’ Championship to challenge the top three teams. If we can finish season x in this position and only the top three are leading then I think we have reason to rejoice. I think this is a realistic goal, but it takes a lot of work to achieve it.

It is hardly worth expecting that we will perform at the level of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. We are still far from them. I have the patience to wait a few more years, but in the next two years we need to make as much progress as possible. I’m only 23 and I feel like I can compete in Formula 1 for a long time to come. I believe 2025 can be the year when we can really claim victories. Although there is still a long way to go, I believe in the team – let’s see what progress we can show this season.

Let’s see what we look like at the end of the year when we get to work in the new wind tunnel. And more significant changes for the better can be expected in 2024 and 2025.”