Lando Norris, the British driver for McLaren, believes that the 2023 Formula 1 season was his most successful yet. He attributes his improvement to his ability to adapt to different circumstances. McLaren had a challenging season, starting with an underdeveloped car but finishing strong as Red Bull’s main competitor. Norris achieved a career-best seven podium finishes and accumulated 205 points, placing him sixth in the Drivers’ Championship. Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, also had a successful rookie season, helping McLaren secure fourth place in the championship. Norris expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, especially considering their initial struggles.
When asked about his standout performance, Norris mentioned the Mexican Grand Prix, where he made an impressive recovery from 17th place to finish fifth. However, despite McLaren’s progress, Norris admitted that their car, the MCL60, was unpredictable and required him to adapt his driving style each weekend. He emphasized that he still didn’t feel completely comfortable with the car’s behavior and had to adjust his approach accordingly.
Nonetheless, Norris believes that he made significant progress in maximizing the car’s potential under various conditions. He stated that regardless of the circumstances, whether it was hot or cold, whether the car was performing well or struggling, or even if he started at the front or the back of the grid, he was able to make the most of every situation. Norris considers this adaptability to be his biggest improvement this year. He attributed his development to extensive simulator work, including analyzing data from his current and former teammates, Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo, as well as his current teammate, Oscar Piastri.
According to the Source motorsportweek.com