Lando Norris` victory in Monaco has dramatically altered the Formula 1 championship landscape. As the series heads to the Spanish Grand Prix, he has a crucial opportunity to demonstrate if the driver once considered the preseason favorite is genuinely back on top form.
His commanding performance on the streets of Monte Carlo, the city he now calls home, was a powerful response to the criticism that had accumulated since his win at the Australian Grand Prix earlier this season. For the first time in a while, he resembled the driver who began the campaign as a clear candidate for a maiden world championship.
In the races held between Melbourne and Monaco, Norris had failed to secure a pole position or claim a victory. During this same period, his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, had won four out of six events, rocketing to the top of the championship standings and shifting the narrative regarding which of the McLaren drivers was better poised to challenge for the title. Adding to Norris` difficulties, Max Verstappen had won the remaining two races, consistently proving a formidable opponent.
Norris had fallen as many as 16 points behind Piastri, but his triumph in Monaco narrowed the gap to a mere three points. The championship battle is now intensely competitive, and many anticipate that the rivalry between the two McLaren drivers will fluctuate throughout the remaining season.
While Norris has faced setbacks this year, he expressed defiance in the press conference following his much-needed win, which McLaren team principal Andrea Stella described as requiring “cold blood” to execute under immense pressure.
“It`s all rubbish,” Norris stated on Sunday evening. “People are free to write whatever they wish. It doesn`t concern me. People are entitled to their views and can express them. The reality is, 99% of the time, none of it holds true.”
In contrast to Piastri`s calm and measured approach, Norris` frustration – directed at himself and certain aspects of the McLaren car he has struggled to master – has been evident for some time.
Before the Monaco weekend, qualifying had been a particular weakness. Up until this year, Norris` reputation for strong Saturday performances stood in stark contrast to Piastri, who had an inconsistent first two F1 seasons but worked hard to improve during the offseason. This year, the dynamic completely reversed. McLaren`s aggressive development of the competitive MCL39 has resulted in a car that can be sensitive at the limit, catching Norris out on several occasions, most notably with his qualifying crash in Saudi Arabia. While Piastri demonstrated remarkable consistency in April and May, Norris` form proved unpredictable.
This context explains Norris` immense satisfaction with his record-breaking qualifying lap in Monaco, the fastest ever set at the circuit. He later expressed pride that his future children would know he won the Monaco Grand Prix, emphasizing that the victory was largely set up by his performance in qualifying the day before.
“I`m extremely proud of [pole position],” Norris commented. “I feel more satisfaction from that result than from the win itself. That`s how significant securing pole position yesterday was for me – it felt like rediscovering my qualifying rhythm. It`s something that`s always been a strength throughout my career, until this season. I`ve really had to dedicate effort to regaining it, largely due to a few specific issues I`ve faced and also the presence of strong competitors.”
Monaco was the second race in a triple-header. The upcoming Spanish Grand Prix this weekend will be a significant test to determine if Norris` performance in Monte Carlo represents a turning point or if his fluctuating form will return. It remains to be seen whether McLaren`s typical advantage will be affected by stricter checks on flexible front wings this weekend, but even if there is an impact, it`s highly probable that the papaya cars will still be challenging for pole position and victory.
Norris himself conceded last weekend that he is not yet fully convinced he is operating at 100%. His relationship with the MCL39 has been complicated, and he has been open about his frustrations with the car since the beginning of the season.
“I`ve been putting in significant effort over the past few months to recover the momentum and confidence I had in Australia,” he stated. “What I experienced [in Monaco] felt like a modest improvement, but it`s not the complete solution. It doesn`t mean I`ve perfected everything and I`m entirely back. There remain areas for me to address, and also aspects where the team can provide me with the necessary equipment – not just a faster car, as the car is competitive – but the specific characteristics I need from the car to perform optimally and achieve maximum results, particularly considering the differences compared to last year.”
These upcoming races are critically important for both Norris and Piastri. Their internal championship contest has drawn obvious comparisons to the 2007 season, which featured two McLaren drivers in the fastest car with Max Verstappen potentially playing a similar role to Kimi Räikkönen as a wildcard competitor in a rival team. However, unlike the intense animosity of 2007, the current rivalry between the teammates has lacked that level of friction. Instead, both drivers have had moments where they appeared to be the leading contender, while the other seemed less comfortable with the car.
From a psychological perspective, the Spanish Grand Prix feels particularly significant for both drivers. A win for Norris would allow him to reclaim the championship lead from his teammate just before the Canadian Grand Prix and the subsequent series of European races. Conversely, if he finds himself consistently outperformed by his promising teammate once more, the persistent questions about his consistency will likely resurface quickly.
