With 7 podium finishes, Lando Norris believes he has achieved his best F1 season to date in 2023

Lando Norris concluded his 4th season in Formula 1 at the end of 2023. The 24-year-old driver, loyal to McLaren until now, had his most prolific season. Although the start of 2023 did not bode well for positive results for the rest of the season, the British team turned things around with more than successful development. McLaren went from the back of the grid to leading roles in the last races.

In 2023, Lando Norris beat his personal record of podium finishes by finishing in the top three seven times. He also led the race in two Grand Prix: that of the United States and Great Britain.

The season with the best results

In 2023, Lando Norris accumulated 205 points, allowing him to finish 6th in the championship, one point behind Fernando Alonso and level with Charles Leclerc. « I think this is my best year », the English driver congratulated himself to AutoSport. « I think it’s also our best year as a team. This is certainly largely due to our development and the progress we’ve made. There were a lot of great performances. Mexico is probably the highlight of all this. »

The director of McLaren, Andrea Stella, was also delighted with the season achieved by Lando Norris. The Italian engineer appreciates his driving level and his driver abilities. « He has the ability to understand how to drive the car, where we are with the tires, these changes in conditions and how to adapt the driving style », Andrea Stella declared in the columns of AutoSport.

A necessary adaptability to tame the MCL60

Despite the progress noted on the MCL60, Lando Norris admitted to encountering numerous unforeseen problems. Regularly, the single-seater did not behave as he wished. « I feel that I still need to adapt every weekend, especially with tires that are too fragile », explained Oscar Piastri’s teammate. « I’m still not comfortable every race weekend. Every other time, the car does not do what I ask it to do. So, I consistently try to adapt. »

Throughout the year, Lando Norris is more comfortable in the race than during Saturday’s qualifications. On a few races, notably in Mexico, the Brit found himself starting from the back of the grid. He had to work several Sundays to move up in the ranking and especially into the points zone. « I think I have always had good races and I have been much more consistent on Sunday », analyzes Lando Norris. « Whether it’s hot or cold, whether the car is fast or in difficulty, I could always make the most of the situation. I think that’s where I’ve made progress this year, being able to adapt even more to all these different scenarios and conditions that challenge us. »

Many simulators

Lando Norris’s progress in 2023 is the result of substantial groundwork. The 24-year-old athlete has analyzed his data from his previous three seasons in Formula 1 to assess his level and areas of improvement. « I did a lot of simulator work », stated the Briton to AutoSport. « I took the time to analyze the performance data when I was against Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz Jr. We went as far as understanding what I was doing right and wrong at the time, what he was doing right and wrong at the time, and the same for Daniel and the same for Oscar now. Just work, taking a huge amount of time. »

The McLaren firm’s driver allowed the team to finish 4th in the constructors’ standings, a place better than in 2022 (Alpine had finished at the foot of the podium).