Verstappen loses attention
McLaren sorts the favor in the Formula 1 show circus
7/11/2023 8:32 am
Lando Norris delights British Formula 1 fans at the British Grand Prix. The McLaren driver finishes on the podium, while team-mate Oscar Piastri also finishes well up front. The form curve of the traditional racing team points steeply upwards. Max Verstappen feels that too.
Max Verstappen seemed pretty bored. At the obligatory Formula 1 press round following his eighth win of the season at Silverstone, the world champion had little to do but listen to the verbal banter of the Brits Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who were second and third behind him. “What can I say, the two talk non-stop,” said the world champion, and it sounded half-joking at best. Almost a bit annoyed to impatient.
Perhaps Verstappen will have to get used to the fact that there will be a lot of talk about Lando Norris and McLaren in the future. With places two and four, 23-year-old Norris and his one year younger Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri made their employer McLaren the team of the moment at Silverstone. Norris in particular can “think bigger from now on,” headlined the Daily Mail.
Of course, only the coming races will show what the silver lining at Silverstone is actually worth. “I think we’re back in the game,” said team boss Zak Brown, “but I think it’s too early to draw a trend from that.” Every race track on the calendar suits a particular team: “So let’s just wait and see Budapest for now. We’re taking small steps.”
Norris and Piastri are supposed to duel
So the boss is stacked deep, but all due caution cannot hide the fact that McLaren has two very hot irons in the fire. Despite his youth, Lando Norris is almost an old hand. In 2019 he joined McLaren at the age of just 19, and since then he has competed in 92 races for the traditional racing team.
He’s still one win away, but if you believe the media, it’s likely to happen soon. Norris has shown real superstar potential, the Guardian found, the Telegraph even claimed that Silverstone had “eyewitnessed a changing of the guard”, and France’s sports bible “L’Equipe” invoked the “promises of Lando Norris”. He found himself “quite good, quite stubborn”, but also quite rightly remarked that “Max is endlessly far away”.
Apart from Norris, whose father Adam is one of the 500 richest people in Great Britain, McLaren has another ace in the cockpit. Oscar Piastri, 2020 and 2021 Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion, is one of the best rookies in Formula 1 history. With his hair disheveled and his cheeks flushed, Piastri couldn’t be happier about his great weekend. He would have liked to have grabbed this Lewis Hamilton, who pushed past him during a safety car phase.
The duel between the two youngsters within the team could unleash a lot of explosives in the future. “He drives me quite a bit,” Norris said of Piastri: “I admit that it often annoys me, but in the end it makes me a better driver.” So do you need a stable order soon? “No,” says team boss Brown, “these are young people, you have to let them drive.” Until the togetherness becomes against each other.