The Inside Story: How Close Was Lando Norris to F1 Glory?

Lando Norris's 2024 Formula 1 season was arguably his most competitive yet, a year marked by significant growth, impressive performances, and intense battles, where he scored more points than his last two seasons combined. With a more competitive car and consistent performances, he emerged as a legitimate title contender in the latter part of the season as Red Bull’s car started underperforming, and their drivers struggled to maximise points with the car. However, Max Verstappen’s unrivalled talent, alongside missed opportunities on the part of Norris and McLaren throughout the season, ultimately culminated in the loss of the championship to Verstappen at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. But what was the true cause of Norris’ championship loss: race-day incidents, Verstappen's unmatched consistency, or the differences in on-track dynamics of Norris and Verstappen?

Whilst McLaren delivered one of their strongest cars in years, strategic decisions and missed opportunities meant that Norris often scored less points then desired, and in some instances required. McLaren’s strategies were more conservative, and prioritised scoring points rather than race wins. While this approach meant Norris was consistently adding to his championship points – and helped him to keep second place, it resulted in victories at races like the British Grand Prix and Canadian Grand Prix being lost – and crucial points wasted with them. At Silverstone, a miscalculated pit stop strategy left Norris prey to Verstappen, who easily passed him in the later stages of the race to outscore him and further the point gap. Similarly, in Canada, a lack of pre-race decisions and preparations caused him to lose a potential victory to Ferrari, as the McLaren crew did not bring him into the pits when the safety car was originally called. When Norris finally came into the pits a lap later, it was too late and he ended up falling from P1, with and 11-second lead to P3, behind Verstappen and George Russell. Ultimately, whilst Norris passed Russell, he fell short of getting past Verstappen, who won the race, with Norris behind him in second. These moments demonstrated the significance of points in a championship battle, where McLaren's mistakes often resulted in Red Bull outscoring them to widen the gap between Verstappen and Norris.

Additionally, McLaren used team orders against Norris at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he pitted before teammate Oscar Piastri and came out in the lead. Piastri had been leading the race and was set for his maiden Grand Prix win, but Norris’ pitstop before his own meant that the Australian driver was behind him. McLaren used team orders to swap the drivers, and whilst Norris still outscored Verstappen, a crucial opportunity to close the title gap was wasted. Incidents like these, combined with other strategic choices, showed that, even though McLaren had the fastest car, their strategy decisions did not reflect those prioritising of a drivers' championship of a winning team.

For Norris, several race day incidents and mistakes, especially in his race starts, saw him losing ground that he would then have to attempt to recover during the race.  Norris’ starts were one key factor in this, with his mistakes aften putting him at a disadvantage early in the race. In several races, his overly cautious starts meant that he was then susceptible to overtakes from more aggressive rivals, resulting in a loss of places at the start. Being too conservative at the start lost him valuable positions and track positions, meaning he was in recovery mode from early on in the race. Norris also struggled with clutch mismanagement at the Dutch Grand Prix. Whilst he started on pole, and went on to win the race, on the opening  lap an issue in switching from first to second gear which resulted in excess wheel spin meant that Max Verstappen overtook him. Whilst Norris showed impressive skill in qualifying to put himself at the front of the grid, his race-start errors would often leave him on the back foot, and highlighted a critical area for improvement. Addressing this weakness, along with some others, could help Norris achieve the consistency needed to be a world champion.

Verstappen's incredible consistency and mental toughness were perhaps the biggest obstacles for Norris in 2024. As a three-time champion before the season, Verstappen had perfected his ability to perform at the highest level without making mistakes. In contrast, Norris, though impressive, lacked the same level of experience under sustained title pressure. Verstappen’s ability to recover from suboptimal qualifying positions to win or finish with a high number of points - the Brazilian Grand Prix, for example - helped highlight his unrivalled talent. Even on weekends where his car was not performing at its best, like the Singapore Grand Prix, Verstappen still used his talent to finish with a valuable number of points – something that helped him gain the upper-hand on Norris in their battle. Norris, in contrast,  showed raw pace at many points in the season, but did not perform at the same consistency that his opponent did. Whilst showing that he is a future champion in the making, the 2024 season proved that Norris was not yet on Verstappen’s level and needs to work on perfecting his race craft and aggressiveness to follow in the Dutchman’s footsteps.

Norris’ calculated yet cautious driving style meant that he consistently achieved points finishes, and minimised on-track incidents, yet may have contributed to the loss of his first championship. His reluctance to make bold, risky moves, in contrast to his main rival Verstappen, meant that valuable points were left behind – points that would be crucial in the title race. Whilst Norris’ driving style meant that he could extract the maximum from the car throughout the race and minimise collisions and DNFS, his cautious style occasionally held him back from performing a more aggressive move that would have secured him a higher position or even a win. His reluctance to take risks in tight battles, especially with more assertive drivers has occasionally cost him important opportunities, and played a big role in his failed championship aspirations this year. On the other hand. Verstappen’s driving style is more forceful, and even though his fearlessness has earned him numerous victories and is a key factor in his dominance, he has been criticised numerous times for his uncompromising nature which can often lead to collisions and penalties. Over time, Verstappen has matured, yet incidents in Hungary and Mexico this year show that he still has some work to do to keep his driving as clean as possible. Despite this, his fierce determination shows his unrelenting nature that helped make him one of the sport’s most talented drivers. In a high-stakes sport like Formula 1, Norris’ cautious approach, though reliable, still cost him some critical opportunities to gain points, which ultimately became the deciding factor in his championship bid

Lando Norris's 2024 season was a testament to his talent and McLaren's resurgence, but it also highlighted the challenges of competing against one of Formula 1's greatest ever drivers. Strategic errors, Verstappen's experience, and critical race-day incidents combined to deny Norris his first championship. Looking ahead, Norris remains optimistic about the future, declaring 2025 as a "no excuses" year. With McLaren poised to build on their momentum and Norris committed to refining his race craft, the lessons of 2024 may serve as the foundation for an eventual title triumph. As McLaren won the constructors’ title this year, they will be looking to secure both trophies next year, but for Norris to win the championship, he will need to work on improving his consistency and perform at the high standard he is capable of achieving all season. Norris showcased moments of brilliance in 2024, but his ability to mount a successful title challenge in 2025 will depend on eliminating errors, maximising opportunities, and maintaining a high level of consistency throughout the season—a necessity if he is to dethrone Verstappen and cement his place as Formula 1's next champion.

Should Norris Adopt Verstappen's Winning Approach to Secure His First F1 Championship?

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Cover image credits: IMAGO