Lando Norris delivered one of the best performances of his Formula 1 career to help McLaren end a 16-year championship drought in 2024.
His Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory saw him placed under extreme pressure when teammate Oscar Piastri was taken out of the running for a podium on lap one.
Facing a double Ferrari charge Norris held strong and his McLaren team delivered an incredible pit stop during the race to help him maintain his slender advantage.
McLaren engineer Will Joseph thinks Norris has massively matured in 2024, and it was that improvement in attitude that helped him to secure the Constructors’ Championship for his team in the end.
He crossed the line after a seamless display to break Italian hearts and bring glory back to Woking for the first time since 2008.
Ending the year with the fastest car is a good sign for the team, but Zak Brown thinks McLaren will have a new rival in the future as they bid for back-to-back successes.
Lando Norris wasn’t allowed to film McLaren party after F1 title win
It has been a long road back to the front for McLaren who were subjected to life in the midfield for nearly 10 years.
A terrible partnership with Honda, followed by a slight recovery with Renault between the years of 2015 and 2020 were some of the hardest years in their history.
Installing Zak Brown as team boss and CEO during that period was an instrumental move for their current success as he helped to bring a wave of sponsorship to their car.
READ MORE: McLaren may have negotiated contract ‘clause’ to re-sign FIA Rookie of the Year winner in 2027
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Norris discussed how the celebrations went after they claimed the title in the Middle East.
“It was an incredible day, probably the most pressure I was under,” he said. “There was only one thing we wanted to do and that was to celebrate because it was just amazing.
“The feeling I had, the feeling everyone in the team had, I’m sure you could see it all and probably feel it at the same time. We went to party, but it was a private party so we could not bring you along for the ride, sadly.”
Is Lando Norris the favourite to win the F1 title in 2025?
Now that McLaren have ended their championship-less run, the focus will turn to making sure that they take home both trophies next season.
Armed with the experience of an intense title fight, they should be better equipped to make key decisions in 2025 up against the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull.
READ MORE: Mark Webber ‘certainly wasn’t happy’ with one thing McLaren did to Oscar Piastri during 2024 F1 season
Helmut Marko saw one McLaren issue this year that gives their rivals a bit of hope, regarding how they handled team orders.
Oscar Piastri will be eager to stay in the fight all season and won’t want to move over for Norris at any stage – something which could cause some friction within the team.
The ‘Papaya Rules’ were a major talking point of 2024 and could be at the centre of attention again if their drivers continue to be closely matched on track.
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