Lando Norris
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Lando Norris enters the 2026 Formula 1 season as the reigning world champion and with a new number on the front of his McLaren.
When Lando Norris entered Formula 1 with McLaren, many were intrigued by how he would perform alongside Carlos Sainz.
The answer was very well, as Sainz departed to join Ferrari, and Daniel Ricciardo came and went, with Oscar Piastri taking his place.
Norris had won plenty of championships during his junior career, but in British Formula 3 and, more importantly, Formula 2, he fell short, with George Russell entering F1 as that year’s champion.
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However, he has continued to improve at a rapid rate, and the way in which he turned his performances around towards the end of 2025 deserves great praise.
Norris received an update to his car that Piastri didn’t install, and considering he only won the championship by two points, that might have made all the difference.
Reflecting on the 2025 campaign, Guenther Steiner was impressed by Norris, but there was one driver whose improvement stood out even more.
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Guenther Steiner picks Oliver Bearman as the most improved F1 driver of 2025
Steiner was asked on The Red Flags Podcast who the most improved driver of last season was, and he said: “The most improved [driver], Ollie Bearman.
“I would say him because the two McLaren drivers, they had a McLaren, and we knew that they were both good. But Ollie, I was quite surprised by how good he became.
“I mean, this year he started off being fast, but making mistakes, but second half of the season, he got rid of them. And it was just like a switch, you know?
“In the first half of the season, I thought he was taking too many risks with the car he had, and therefore he had a few offs, and it wasn’t good, got a lot of penalty points. He kept on collecting them second half of the season.
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“But it’s just like he didn’t make mistakes anymore. Even in the race, fighting hard, we all know that he can overtake.
“I think for him, the door should be open to Ferrari for 2027. If Lewis hasn’t had the success he needs to have, I don’t think that he continues.
“And then there is the obvious candidate there for Ferrari, a guy who was well prepared in Formula 1, who is performing, and also he’s good with all the rest of it around him.”
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Oliver Bearman is preparing for the crucial 2026 F1 season as Ferrari links intensify
Out of all of the rookies on the grid last season, Oliver Bearman had by far the most intriguing debut.
He was already being lined up to race for Haas in 2025, but a late call-up to replace Sainz at Ferrari was enough to convince many in Formula 1 that he had what it takes to make the step up from F2.
As Steiner explained, his start to last season contained too many errors, with his crash under the red flag at Silverstone during practice the most worrying.
However, despite Bearman being top of the penalty points charts going into 2026, he proved he was undoubtedly quick.
His P4 at the Mexico City Grand Prix, holding off Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, was inspired, and he only finished 15 points behind two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
The British driver outscored teammate Esteban Ocon despite the Frenchman’s fast start to 2025, and Steiner has already backed Bearman to be Ferrari’s next champion.
If he continues to improve at the current rate he’s going, then that’s not an impossible prediction.
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