Will Lando Norris win the Formula 1 World Championship?

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52 points is the gap between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in the F1 Drivers’ Championship, with 6 Grand Prix and 3 sprint races remaining.

Mclaren has already taken the lead from Redbull F1 Team in the Constructors’ Championship, but that’s not enough. In Formula 1, it’s the drivers’ title that counts most. It would be a magnificent achievement, especially as Mclaren hasn’t won a title (driver or constructor) since 2008, and Verstappen was invincible just a few months ago.

If Mclaren makes no mistakes, and Redbull does, Lando Norris could be Formula 1 World Champion in 2024.

Mclaren hasn't won a F1 championship since 2008
Mclaren hasn’t won a F1 championship since 2008

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Lando Norris and Mclaren in top form.

The British manufacturer has built a rocket this season, but Norris is also very good and very consistent in his results. After the Singapore Grand Prix, he added 3 wins, 11 podiums and 5 pole positions to his palmares. Only Verstappen has done better, thanks to his excellent start to the season.

With the best driver pairing on the grid maximizing every opportunity, Mclaren leads the Formula 1 constructors’ championship for the first time in over 10 years.

Despite his excellent performances, he could already be ahead of Verstappen if Mclaren had selected him as N°1 driver at mid-season.

Reasons why Lando Norris can’t win the F1 Drivers’ Championship.

In Formula 1, a team can decide to let its drivers fight it out on track, without favoring anyone in the strategy, as Mercedes-AMG does for example, or “sacrifice” one of the two drivers in favor of the other to maximize the potential for gaining points. This is what the Redbull F1 Team has been doing for years now. Mclaren has struggled to make up its mind (and that’s only to be expected when you consider what its team-mate has achieved).
Also, Oscar Piastri is not at the same stage of his career as his team-mate, yet his learning curve seems much faster. If he continues at this pace, he could well overtake Norris in 2025, as he makes very few, if any, mistakes.
Norris is certainly very fast, but sometimes lacks lucidity when under pressure. Of his 5 pole positions, he has only once stayed in the lead after the first lap. Why does he always miss his starts? Many people feel that he doesn’t yet have what it takes to be Formula 1 World Champion.

What’s more, the car has to perform well at every Grand Prix, and there are doubts about that. The Mexican circuit doesn’t seem suited to the Mclaren. Piastri also needs to be both cooperative with his team-mate, and at Verstappen’s level to make him lose precious points. Then Redbull F1 Team can make their car work much better. They’ll probably bring in a package of improvements, and that can be a game-changer. They can catch up with the other constructors, and once again crush all the competition.

But with a bit of luck and a better strategy, Norris could be just a few points behind Verstappen and therefore in a much better position to win the title.

Lando Norris is going to be Formula 1 world champion in 2024.

However, he hasn’t had much opportunity to show his true racing intelligence and agility on the track this year. He’s only been in contact with his opponent a handful of times, and the only time Verstappen and Norris have fought was at the Austrian GP. That ended in a crash and retirement.

Beyond that, Norris has perfect control of his F1 car. He has grip, stability and manages tires to perfection. That’s not been the case with his rivals in recent races. In my opinion, Lando Norris clearly deserves his place in the standings. He can win the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship because he still has enough opportunities to score big points.

I don’t think Verstappen will systematically finish second over the next 9 races (6 races + 3 sprint races). Redbull seems to have recovered its performance, but Scuderia Ferrari continues to be a front-runner and Oscar Piastri continues to perform well in most races. There are 6 GPs left before the end of the season, and I think Mclaren will accept that Norris’ interests must come before Piastri’s.

If Lando Norris wants to be F1 World Champion, he has to do it this year, because next year it may be too late. The performances of the top 4 teams are tightening up, his team-mate Piastri will be experienced enough to try his luck, and 2026 will mark the start of new regulations, with all-new F1 cars. This will put all the manufacturers on an equal footing.

Whatever happens, I hope the title goes down to the very last Grand Prix, in Abu Dhabi, just as it did in the 2021 Formula 1 Championship, when Hamilton lost his 8th drivers’ title on the last lap. We’re almost there!

Adrien Conges
Adrien Conges
I grew up near Magny-Cours, an old Formula 1 circuit in France so I've been passionate about motorsport and automobiles since childhood. I currently live in Bordeaux, France and I'm still waiting for Ferrari to win a 17th F1 constructors' title.

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