McLaren’s remarkable resurgence in the 2024 Formula 1 season has dramatically shifted the balance of power in the sport. With Red Bull’s Max Verstappen struggling for form, winless since the Spanish Grand Prix, McLaren and their star driver, Lando Norris, have seized the opportunity to mount a serious championship challenge. Once dominant, Red Bull’s performance has slipped, leaving the door wide open for Norris and McLaren to assert themselves as frontrunners.
Heading into the United States Grand Prix, Round 19 of 24, McLaren finds itself at the top of the Constructors’ Championship standings, holding a 41-point lead over Red Bull. This stunning turnaround has been spearheaded by Norris, who has catapulted himself into the thick of the title fight, sitting second in the Drivers’ standings, just 52 points behind Verstappen.
Despite his rise, Norris remains focused on the bigger picture and refuses to expect any special treatment from his team or teammate, Oscar Piastri. “I’ve not lost out on any points,” Norris remarked when asked if McLaren could do more to support his title bid. “It’s like saying from Round 1 that Oscar needs to let me pass in every race; it doesn’t make sense. We’re still fighting for ourselves.”
Norris made it clear that he doesn’t expect McLaren to enforce team orders in his favor, recognizing that every driver on the grid, including his teammate and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, is competing for their own ambitions. “I’m very happy with how we’ve worked as a team and the direction we’re going,” he affirmed, highlighting the collaborative atmosphere at McLaren.
Much of McLaren’s resurgence can be attributed to team principal Andrea Stella, whom Norris praised for leading the team’s transformation. “I probably wouldn’t ask for anyone else to have his job and make these kinds of decisions,” said Norris. “Andrea is one of the most integral parts of keeping a team together, motivating the team, and pushing the team. He’s made McLaren what it is today—close to being the best team in Formula 1.”
Norris credited Stella’s leadership style for fostering honesty and open communication within the team, a dynamic that has allowed McLaren to thrive. “The most important thing that we have is just honesty between one another,” Norris said. “When I agree or disagree, we say it to one another, and we come up with the best solution.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming race at COTA, Norris will be hoping to continue his push for the championship. Sitting in P2 in the standings, he trails Verstappen by 52 points, with Piastri in P4, 42 points behind his teammate. McLaren, meanwhile, stands poised at the top of the Constructors’ Championship, positioning themselves as the team to beat in the final stretch of the season.
As the 2024 season nears its climax, McLaren’s remarkable resurgence, coupled with Red Bull’s decline, has set the stage for one of the most unpredictable and exciting championship battles in recent F1 history. The once seemingly unstoppable Verstappen now finds himself under pressure, while Norris, with McLaren’s resurgence behind him, is aiming to secure his place as the sport’s next great champion.
Photo from (X) McLaren Account
