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Lando Norris Recalls Tough Times in an Emotional Message as Zak Brown & Co. Begins to Turn the Tide in F1

Published 07/23/2023, 7:15 AM EDT

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Formula 1 is more than just a sport; it’s certainly a long wait for drivers who desire to make a name for themselves in the highest levels of motor racing. Even if Lando Norris‘ was able to establish himself, McLaren‘s performance apart from the 2020 season was only mediocre, therefore the British driver’s desire has only partially been fulfilled as the 23-year-old has stayed away to take the top step on the podium even for once. The Papaya Army had a dismal showing last year, however, this year’s start was much worse since the squad, with its new combination, was battling at the bottom of the grid. Lando Norris, though, reflected on the difficult times and sent Zak Brown and the squad a touching greeting as now the tide has turned.

Lando Norris won the seventh podium of his career and was the first of the season for McLaren in the British Grand Prix. However, before the merry days, the entire McLaren squad had experienced a difficult period during which the division battled at the bottom of the grid on a regular basis. Starting in Bahrain, where both drivers completed their races in the bottom 5, to the horrors of Miami, where the crew experienced nightmares due to tire degradation.

However, Norris’s rage had been building up inside of him up until the Miami race, but everything snapped when he witnessed the Mclaren’s appalling performance on the Spanish Grand Prix’s aerodynamic circuit. Nevertheless, now the tide has shifted because of the McLaren drivers returning to the top 5 in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, following the Silverstone’s blast, Norris has reflected on the difficult times and issued an emotional letter to the team, recalling all the moments from the last year.

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In a viral tweet shared by McLaren F1 News, Norris was found quoting, “We were fighting for 18th, 19th, 20th for the last year and in certain times. So, for us to be consistent now three races in a row, competitive, and to be so close to pole position is still a very good sign for us.”

Although the previous season was worse than expected as Norris earned the team’s lone podium finish and scored 122 of the team’s 159 points, dropping the team from P3 in the rankings in 2020 to P5 behind the rival Alpine in 2022. And with almost eight races of suffering now when Mclaren is back on the track, should Norris still find a way to make a switch?

Should Lando Norris still think of his “get-out clause?”

Lando Norris has maintained his trust in McLaren by making it obvious that he does not want to leave the side by making a switch to Reb Bull, but now that the Papaya army has started to deliver, would it still be wise for Norris to switch?

Norris has a contract with McLaren that expires at the end of 2025, but with Mclaren’s recent struggles and the escalating rumors around Sergio Perez’s departure from Red Bull, it was thought that Norris might make a switch. Perez is already under pressure to perform well since Daniel Ricciardo will be vying for his spot. However, if “half the grid wants his seat,” as Perez said, who would be the best choice for Red Bull?

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Helmut Marko himself has shown a keen interest in having Lando Norris. Nevertheless, now that the papaya army has delivered the second-best car on the grid, whether he ought to employ the get-out clause still stands. For that, Speaking to Metro Sport via KingCasinoBonus, Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert expressed his views.

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He said, “If I was choosing there is only one man, and he is in an orange car at the minute. That is Lando. He has a long-term contract and I don’t know what that says or the details of it. But windows of opportunity come up rarely in this sport.”

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He continued by stating that by now Norris should have started the negotiation talks. He added, “You don’t want to be on the doorstep, the door opens and you say, ‘Hang on I’ve just got to check a couple of things.’ If there is a get-out clause in some shape or form, that would be the negotiation I would start playing with.”

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WATCH THIS STORY: “F**ked It Up Again”: Lando Norris’ Frustrated Apology After Bad Luck at 2023 Monaco GP

Do you think Lando Norris and company will prevent Red Bull from breaking the 11 straight victories set by McLaren in 1988?

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Written by:

Aditya Srivastava

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Aditya Srivastava is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports with over two years of writing experience. He developed a keen interest in the sport after the unforgettable Abu Dhabi 2021 race. As a graduate of a premier institute, Aditya is committed to producing high-quality content that is engaging, informative, and accurate.
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Edited by:

Varunkumaar Chelladurai