Lando Norris still thinks he can challenge Max Verstappen for the title this year and is in line for a unique bonus from McLaren chief Zak Brown if he manages to pull it off.
McLaren has promised to gift Lando Norris with his desired car if he is able to outperform Max Verstappen and clinch the championship.
In his Formula 1 career, this is the first time the British driver has placed second in the championship standings, with only the Dutch driver ahead of him.
He achieved one victory this year, but he acknowledged that he missed an opportunity to secure another win in the recent race in Barcelona. If he had done that, the difference between him and Verstappen would not have been so big.
Norris is now 69 points behind the reigning champion due to a missed chance, but he is still competitive and could catch up if he narrows the gap in the next few weeks.
The 24-year-old driver is inherently motivated by his childhood dream of becoming an F1 champion. However, having additional incentives, such as the one pledged by McLaren CEO Zak Brown, can provide an extra boost.
“I’ve got a deal with Zak,” Norris told The Telegraph. “If I win the championship he has to get me a car. I’ve specified which car. We shook on it, but that’s all I’m saying. There’s a long way to go, it’s still a lot of points. But who knows?”
Before that race in Barcelona, Norris had declared that the title is still very much up for grabs. Red Bull started the season in a league of their own once again, but a few of their rivals have closed the performance gap and many, including the Briton, felt McLaren even had a quicker car in Spain.
Norris will know that the gap cannot widen much further if he is to run Verstappen close for the championship this term. But, in any case, the improvements made by McLaren have vindicated the Briton’s decision to ignore advances from Red Bull and stick with the team that gave him his shot in F1.
Earlier this year, when the news of the new contract was revealed, Norris faced criticism from certain individuals.
He was specifically called out for his statement that it would not be wise to compete against Verstappen in the same team, leading some to believe that he was avoiding a challenge.
When asked about this, the Briton denied it and expressed confidence in his ability to challenge Verstappen. He stated: “I have faith in my potential to win a championship with McLaren, which is why I renewed my contract in January.” “I believe I can compete with Max and provide a strong challenge.
However, I recognize Max’s skills, making it hard for anyone to compete with him for a world championship. It seems like I made a wise decision by staying with McLaren, don’t you think?”
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