Lando Norris Seeks to Consolidate His Resurgence at the Spanish Grand Prix
Following his resounding victory in Monaco, Lando Norris has the opportunity to demonstrate if the pre-season Formula 1 favorite is back to stay. The Spanish Grand Prix presents itself as the perfect stage for the British driver to consolidate his position and demonstrate his potential.
Norris’s performance on the streets of Monte Carlo, now his home, was a resounding response to the criticism that arose after his victory at the Australian Grand Prix. Once again, he looked like the driver who started the season as the obvious choice for the championship.
In the races between Melbourne and Monaco, Norris did not achieve either pole position or the top step of the podium. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, won four of the six races, leading the championship and changing the narrative about which of Zak Brown’s drivers was better prepared to fight for the world title. Furthermore, Max Verstappen, winner of the other two grand prix, has been a constant threat to Norris.
Norris was up to 16 points behind Piastri, but his victory in Monaco reduced the gap to just three points. The competition is open, and the dynamic between the two McLaren drivers is expected to fluctuate throughout the season.
McLaren team’s Andrea Stella commented that Norris’ victory in Monaco “required ice in his veins” to achieve it under high-pressure circumstances.
Andrea Stella
Norris has faced challenges this year, but responded strongly in the press conference after his well-deserved victory. “Everything is rubbish,” Norris said on Sunday night. “People can write whatever they want. It’s not up to me. People have their own opinions, they can do all those things. The fact is that none of that is true, 99% of the time.”
In contrast to Piastri’s composure, Norris’s irritation, with himself and with certain aspects of the McLaren car that has cost him to master, has been evident for some time.
Before last weekend, qualifying had been a big challenge. Until this year, Norris’ strong form on Saturdays contrasted with Piastri’s, whose first two seasons in F1 were inconsistent, something the Australian worked to fix in the preseason. This year, things have changed radically. McLaren’s aggressive development of their class-leading MCL39 has created a car that can be erratic when pushed to the limit of performance, and on numerous occasions that has hurt Norris, with the qualifying accident in Saudi Arabia being the worst example. While Piastri looked the picture of consistency in April and most of May, Norris’ form was erratic.
That explains why Norris was so pleased with his record lap on the streets of Monaco, the fastest ever set on the circuit. He later said he was proud that his children would be able to say that he won the Monaco Grand Prix, and it was a victory set in motion by what he was able to do the day before.
“I’m very proud of the pole,” Norris said. “I’m happier with that result than with the victory. That’s how much it meant to me yesterday, to get my qualifying pace back, because it’s something I’ve had all my life. It’s always been good, until this year. And I’ve had to work hard to try and get it back. For no other reason, apart from a couple of things that I’ve clearly struggled with and also having tough competition.”Monaco was the second of three consecutive F1 races. This weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix will be a big test to see if the Norris we saw in Monte Carlo has changed the course, or if the fluctuating form will return. It remains to be seen if McLaren’s usual advantage will be diminished by the stricter tests around flexible front wings this weekend, but even if it were, it’s hard to imagine the papaya colors not being in the fight for pole and victory.
Norris himself admitted last weekend that he is not convinced he is back to 100%. His relationship with the MCL39 is complicated; he has been very vocal about his frustrations with it from day one.
“I’ve been working hard for the last few months to regain that momentum I had in Australia, that confidence,” he said. “What I felt in Monaco was a small step forward, but it’s not that. It’s not like I’ve nailed it now and everything’s back. There are still things I need to work on, there are still things that, as a team, they give me the team, and I don’t just mean making a faster car, because the car is fast enough, but giving me the things I need from the car to excel and maximize results, and the differences from last year to this year.”These are crucial races for Norris and Piastri. Their internal battle for the title has drawn obvious comparisons to 2007, with two McLaren drivers in the fastest car with Verstappen playing the Kimi Räikkönen role as the wildcard in a rival team, but so far it has lacked the aggression that season is so famous for. Instead, both have had moments where they have seemed “the guy”, while the other has felt uncomfortable with the car.
Spain is important for both from a declaration point of view. If he wins, Norris regains the championship lead from his teammate, just in time for Canada and the avalanche of European races that follow. If he is again the second best of his exciting teammate, that persistent narrative will quickly drag back.
