Lando Norris and McLaren came agonizingly close to a championship in 2024 before falling short. Here is what happened.
The timeline:
- First half of 2024: Verstappen dominant again. McLaren competitive but not consistently winning.
- Miami GP: Norris wins his first career race. The floodgates open.
- Mid-season: McLaren upgrades work. MCL38 becomes the fastest car on the grid.
- Norris wins multiple races in the second half. Gap to Verstappen closes.
- Season end: Verstappen holds on for a 4th consecutive title despite McLaren having the better car for the final 10 races.
What went wrong for Norris:
- Slow start. Gave Verstappen too many points in the first third of the season when Red Bull was fastest.
- Poor starts. Multiple races where Norris qualified on pole but lost position at the start. This cost him approximately 30-40 points across the season.
- Team orders confusion. McLaren's reluctance to impose team orders on Piastri cost Norris points in at least two races.
- Verstappen's consistency. Even when Red Bull had the slower car, Verstappen rarely finished below 4th. Source: Formula1.com results.
What it means going forward: Norris proved he has championship speed. The question is whether he has championship composure. The 2025 and 2026 seasons will define his legacy.
Sources:
- Formula1.com — 2024 results and standings
- McLaren — technical development timeline
- Autosport — post-season analysis