Lando Norris taking control at McLaren after key Sao Paulo Grand Prix radio message

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McLaren driver Lando Norris has had the most successful season of his burgeoning Formula 1 career in 2024.

After reaching the 100 Grand Prix mark at the end of last season, Lando Norris finally stood on the top step of the podium for the first time at the Miami Grand Prix.

McLaren have been making fast progress behind the scenes over the past 18 months and by the time Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri headed across the Atlantic for the first time this season, they suddenly had the quickest car on the grid.

Max Verstappen had already built up a substantial lead in the Drivers’ Championship, but he and Red Bull then went on a ten-race run without a victory.

Suddenly, Norris had a chance to overturn the deficit, but Verstappen maximised how many points he scored during every Grand Prix and both Ferrari and Mercedes prevented Norris from going on the winning streak he needed to try and win his first title.

Max Verstappen’s incredible victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix all but ended Norris’s title ambitions, however, journalist Mark Hughes shared on The Race Podcast an encouraging sign from Norris for his future title hopes.

Norris has been accused of being too harsh on himself and there have been questions over whether that impacts the way he drives.

However, Hughes heard one radio message from the 25-year-old during qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix that suggests he’s becoming more assertive and taking key decisions from within the cockpit.

Lando Norris telling McLaren what he wants after Brazilian Grand Prix radio message

Talking about Norris’s approach during the race, journalist Ben Anderson suggested that the Brit isn’t as hard as Verstappen on his team during the race and doesn’t lead from inside the cockpit as much as the Dutchman.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Rubuttling this, Hughes said: “Yeah, just on that, I heard signs that that may be improving as well in qualifying in Brazil when he’s done a run and his engineer asked him about the balance and he said, ‘Yeah, another one-and-a-half turns on the wing.’

“And the engineer said, ‘Mmm, one-and-a-half might be a bit too much, I’d suggest one,’ he said, ‘One-and-a-half please.’

“That was it, end of discussion, so more of that please.”

Lando Norris is much stronger position to make 2025 F1 title charge

Norris’s first title challenge may not have ended the way he would have liked although he could help McLaren win their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.

However, McLaren will be encouraged that they could achieve a championship double next year.

The 2025 season is the final campaign of the current regulations, meaning teams are unlikely to make sweeping changes to their cars over the winter.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

That means McLaren should be in a much stronger position earlier in the season, so Norris doesn’t have to close a gap to an in-form Verstappen.

However, he’ll likely be looking over his shoulder as Piastri is improving at a rapid rate and with another season of experience under his belt, he may spot an opportunity to get one over on Norris.

David Coulthard thinks Norris can learn from Verstappen, and his radio message in Brazil suggests he’s already taken a leaf out of his book by telling his team exactly what he wants and then insisting on it.