Lando Norris sends F1 rivals Mercedes and Ferrari warning in scathing claim

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McLaren ace Lando Norris has now sent Mercedes and Ferrari a warning ahead of the 2024 season whilst slamming their rival Formula 1 teams’ lack of actual development.

The Briton is excited for what is to come from his Woking team next year after enjoying vast gains throughout 2023. McLaren started the year with one of the slowest cars on the grid at the Bahrain GP. Norris also admits he was ‘dreading the season’ as their plight became clear.

Pre-season testing at the Sakhir circuit even highlighted how far off the pace McLaren would be to start 2023. CEO Zak Brown admitted in February that the team ‘didn’t hit’ their targets with the MCL60. Norris went on to finish the Bahrain GP last and two laps behind the leader.

Lando Norris was ‘dreading’ 2023 after McLaren’s slow start

A hydraulics issue helped to ruin Norris’ Bahrain GP but the 24-year-old and McLaren were again uncompetitive in Saudi Arabia. It was not until the Papaya squad delivered upgrades at July’s Austrian GP that they climbed up the field. Norris finished P4, nine seconds behind P3.

McLaren then also affording Oscar Piastri their upgrade package at the British GP saw them enjoy great success on home tarmac. Norris qualified P2 with Piastri in third before fighting Max Verstappen for the lead. A safety car stopped Piastri from joining Norris on the podium.

Norris returned to the rostrum for the following Hungarian GP after successive second-place finishes, too. He would stand on the podium again at the Singapore, Japanese, Qatar, United States and Sao Paulo Grand Prix, as well. Each rostrum but P3 in Qatar was as the runner-up.

Piastri, meanwhile, sealed his first podium as a Formula 1 driver at the Japanese GP. The 22-year-old rookie then took P2 at the Qatar GP after winning the Sprint. Norris blew a chance to win in Qatar after failing to post a valid Q3 time and wasting his final Sprint Shootout lap.

Lando Norris sends Ferrari and Mercedes a warning for 2024

Having turned their year entirely on its head, Norris is excited for how competitive McLaren should now be in 2024. He also believes his Woking team know where they can still improve their car. Which should worry Formula 1 rivals, Mercedes and Ferrari, over the winter break.

Norris does not feel Mercedes or Ferrari have made any significant gains in the development of their cars. So, McLaren should be able to rival both next year. The Papaya outfit outscored Mercedes by 43 points and Ferrari by one point after taking their major upgrades to Austria.

“We’ve been behind them for two years,” Norris said, via quotes by F1i.com. “They’ve not really taken any steps forward and we’ve taken a massive step forward. And there’s plenty more things that we know we can improve on. It’s a good time for us.

“A few more bits of the puzzle to put together but we found the key pieces. We know what direction to go in, so I’m really very proud of the whole team.

“If we were in Bahrain now and I looked ahead, I was dreading the season already. So, to come away with seven podiums and all the great moments we’ve had was definitely not expected.”

McLaren had scored 17 points after the Canadian GP, the final race before introducing a host of upgrades in Austria. Their development was seismic with Norris and Piastri also often Red Bull’s nearest threats. But Ferrari star Carlos Sainz fended off Norris to win the Singapore GP.