The 2024 Formula 1 season has taught McLaren driver Lando Norris plenty of lessons.
There were signs last season that McLaren were on the right path with their development after several successful update packages.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri went from trying to avoid being eliminated in Q1 to regularly finishing on the podium.
Although the 2024 campaign didn’t start perfectly for McLaren, they were quickly in contention to win races and Norris achieved that feat for the first time in Miami.
Piastri followed up his teammate’s achievement in Hungary and Red Bull were suddenly on the back foot.
Max Verstappen had managed to win seven of the first 10 races but was in damage limitation mode as Red Bull’s car wasn’t quick enough to fight McLaren, Ferrari or even at times Mercedes.
Verstappen never allowed the gap in the Drivers’ Championship to close too much though and his now legendary drive at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix all but guaranteed him a fourth title which he then sealed in Las Vegas.
Eddie Jordan was speaking to Gary Anderson on the Formula For Success Podcast and shared details of a talk he’d had with Norris and what he’d told him he needed to do if he wanted to beat the Dutchman.
Eddie Jordan shares what he told Lando Norris if he wants to beat Max Verstappen
Jordan was speaking to his former designer Anderson about the Brit’s situation and said: “I want to ask you about Norris because I’ve been a little bit critical of Lando.
“There’s absolutely no doubting his speed, it’s electric, and could he be a world champion beyond any doubt?
“But he has to learn some things, doesn’t he?
“And I’ve said to him that he needs to go off and look at some of the videos of what Max has done, the way he’s able to start, the way he’s able to pass, the way he’s able to manoeuvre.”
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Anderson added his advice for Norris and said: “I think as far as risk conditions are concerned and wheel-to-wheel battling, Norris has still got quite a lot to learn.
“But as far as actual speed is concerned, he’s definitely got that in him.
“I didn’t think that at the beginning of his career, I must admit, but I think he’s definitely shown now that, given the car, he can definitely drive the car, but he just needs to get that bit of aggression. Especially on that first lap, first corner stuff.”
Lando Norris set to face competition from more drivers than just Max Verstappen next season
Verstappen was criticised for his racing style in his battles with Norris but typically stayed within the rules to make sure he was rarely penalised for his defensive driving.
That ruthlessness is why Verstappen has been compared to Michael Schumacher in the past but is also why he’s a four-time world champion at the age of 27.
Norris will feel he’s in the best position to make a challenge for the title in 2025.
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However, if McLaren are as strong next season as they are this year, then Piastri will fancy his chances too.
A resurgent Ferrari team will also want to add another pair of titles to their extensive collection and with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in their cars, they pose a very strong threat.
Verstappen can never be counted out either, while George Russell proved in Las Vegas that he’s capable of dominating races in the right car too.
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