McLaren CEO Zak Brown sees Lando Norris as stronger than ever – The Brit himself speaks of his “most complete year” in the World Championship duel with Oscar Piastri
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has highlighted the transformation of his driver Lando Norris, describing the British driver’s previous public perception as outdated. In the past, many considered Norris to be overly self-critical, which was sometimes interpreted as a weakness. But the results of the current season tell a different story, according to Brown.
“I think Lando is in great shape,” Brown explained in an interview with RACER. “For a long time, people said Lando couldn’t win from pole position – now he has won four of the last five races in which he started from pole. That whole narrative around him just doesn’t fit anymore.”
Brown doesn’t see his driver’s openness as a weakness, but rather as an expression of personality. “He wears his emotions on his sleeve, so to speak. Everyone is different in that respect. But I’ve never seen him in better shape.”
Norris learns to deal with himself differently
Brown cited the qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, in which Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc surprisingly took pole position, as an example. “I think the Lando of a year ago might have been harder on himself,” said Brown. “But he’s doing great at the moment. It’s like the discussion back then that he couldn’t win from pole position – now no one talks about that anymore since he’s won four or five races from there.”
Brown did not mean to criticize Leclerc in any way. “I’m a big fan of Charles. He’s outstanding over one lap and can perhaps carry the car over one lap if it doesn’t have the pace for the race. So I don’t want this to be taken as criticism. But it just shows how quickly such narratives change. And when they no longer fit, the correction often gets lost in the public perception.”
Norris: More experienced, more complete, better prepared
Norris himself has a similar view of his current form. The 25-year-old is in his seventh season in Formula 1 and has driven exclusively for McLaren. In 2025, he will be fighting seriously for the world championship title for the first time – and that in a team-internal duel against Oscar Piastri, who is nine points ahead of Norris going into the summer break.
“Nothing fundamentally changes my life, but you’re just better prepared,” explains Norris. “I’ve learned a lot from the racing side of things. With experience comes the fact that you’ve been through more situations before, that you understand the team better and they understand you better. You’re just better prepared for any situation.”
“The most complete driver I’ve ever been”
In addition to experience, further development as a driver also plays a role: “You have to be able to move the car faster and take better care of the tires. Those are the more difficult things. But Oscar, in his third year, is also getting better with more experience. That’s a completely normal process.”
For himself, Norris draws a clear conclusion: “I think I’m now the most complete driver I’ve ever been. I feel ready to take on more challenges. That doesn’t mean it gets any easier—you’re still racing against the best drivers in the world, who can drive a car just as fast as you can. But you’re just better prepared. And sometimes that allows you to show more of your potential.”
While Piastri has one more victory to his name so far, Norris is heading into the second half of the season with noticeable momentum after three wins in the last four races. For Brown, one thing is certain: criticism of Norris is a thing of the past – instead, he is now stronger, more composed, and more successful than ever.
