Lando Norris: Formula 1's potential hero in the spotlight?
After decades of loyalty to Red Bull, Formula 1 is yearning for a new thrill. McLaren's resurgence is having a considerable impact - however, it may be accompanied by too much enthusiasm. Some have even asked: "Can Lando Norris become the next Ayrton Senna in Formula 1?"
Instead of the traditional papaya orange, Norris is racing in yellow, green, and blue this week in Monaco. This color scheme is a tribute to Senna, but it also seems fitting for the current climate in Formula 1: Norris is now racing for McLaren, the savior of top-tier racing, and people are slowly comparing him to legends.
Just three weeks ago, the Englishman won his first race in Formula 1, overtaking world champion Max Verstappen in the process. This win was seen as a sign of redemption, similar to Ayrton Senna's victory in Brazil in 1991. Sky Sports in the United Kingdom has even wondered if Norris could become as dominant as Senna once was.
After a long period of servitude under Red Bull, the sport is eager for a new hero. Norris, only 24 years old, is more cautious. He acknowledges his personal improvement, but doesn't want to go into races with excessive self-confidence, stating, "That's not my style."
Red Bull, which had been unbeatable since the season's start, has become a strong competitor - an unexpected one, at that. People used to look at Mercedes and Ferrari when it came to deciding a race winner. However, McLaren had all the necessary elements in place to perform well, and new team principal Andrea Stella has been helping them improve since last year. Norris describes Stella as "the director, and we are his cast."
The biggest breakthrough came in Miami at the beginning of May, when Norris beat Verstappen with car updates. Since then, McLaren has gained more confidence, with hopes for more frequent victories. Piastri, Norris' teammate, believes this assumption is naive. After winning by just 0.7 seconds in Imola, Norris came close but missed out on another triumph while pursuing Verstappen.
Despite the significant progress McLaren has made with their revised car, they still have a long way to go. Verstappen currently has a comfortable 60-point lead after a third of the season, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc wants the world to wait for a few more races before drawing any conclusions regarding Red Bull's power waning.
The sport, however, hopes that Norris' challenges to Verstappen will create exciting weekends. "It's about time," says Norris, who wants to do it again in Monaco. The drivers will be back to wearing their traditional papaya orange after this race.
(3 pm on Sky)
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Source: www.ntv.de
