As Lando Norris spoke about the need to “get his elbows out” against Max Verstappen this year, and not allow the Dutch driver to walk all over him, but at the same time to “play the long game” and “not to take any unnecessary risks”, it was tempting to conclude that the British driver’s head is already scrambled and that Verstappen has been living rent-free in it all winter.
Speaking at a grey and dreary Silverstone after taking his new challenger, the MCL39, for a first spin, Norris was a mass of contradictions.
One minute the 25-year-old was saying he felt “relaxed” and was “not feeling the pressure” of being joint-favourite with the bookies. Then in the next breath he admitted he would “feel bad if he let down people who put money on him”. He insisted his team had the “mindset” of winners after being crowned constructors’ champions last season for the first time this century. Then contradicted himself by suggesting McLaren were “still kind of underdogs” as they sought to establish themselves as seasoned frontrunners alongside the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari.
To take any of what the drivers say over the next few weeks too seriously, though, as they unveil their challengers one by one, is to give the whole pre-season phoney war far too much credibility. “Can Norris be world champion this year?” What is he meant to say? He has no real idea yet how competitive his car will be. There is only so much drivers can glean from a few laps in five degrees Celsius on a wet February day at Silverstone. (“It felt normal, I’d say,” was his considered verdict when asked for first impressions.) As for whether he has learnt from last year’s mistakes – getting caught up in battles with Verstappen on and off track, the poor starts, the errors under pressure – only time will tell.
As Norris spoke, engagingly as ever, admitting with typical candour that he watched back some of his races last year over the winter and thought “What the hell have I done? What an idiot!”, it was obvious that he had changed in one important way, however. Never again will the Briton be challenging for a world title for the first time.
Norris has experience now of the pressure that accompanies an intense title fight. He knows exactly how Verstappen races against his title rivals. He knows the extra media commitments which come with being in contention. The narratives which are created. The mind games which are played. When the season starts in Melbourne on March 16, he will not have to learn all that again.
It perhaps explains why he contradicted himself so often. Norris was basically saying that he and McLaren have to be ready for anything this year.
They have to have the mindset of winners, and keep pushing, while accepting that their rivals have been there and done it more often than they have. They have to be confident but not complacent. They have to be ready to fight their corner with Verstappen, while at the same time not getting caught up in unnecessary skirmishes.
The good news is that Norris has proved beyond all doubt that he has the most important ingredient required to become a world champion: speed.
The manner in which Norris asserted himself over his team-mate Oscar Piastri last season bodes well for his chances, although the Australian will certainly be no pushover. Piastri also spoke yesterday, declaring confidently: “I definitely feel I can be world champion this year.”
But Norris is clearly quick enough. Whether he can harness the experience he gained last year, cut out the errors, assert himself over his team-mate, and stand up not only to Verstappen but also to the likes of Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who may well prove to be the bigger threats, that is another question.
For now, Norris is saying exactly what you would expect him to say.
“I need to get my elbows out and I need to show that I’m not going to willingly give him any positions,” he concluded of the challenge of going up against Verstappen again this year. “I also have to be smart. I don’t need to take any unnecessary risks and I don’t need to go down trying.”
He might have said the exact same words 12 months ago. The difference is this time Norris has been in the heat of the battle and knows exactly what to expect.
