Lando Norris
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Lando Norris is entering his very first season as a reigning world champion in Formula 1 this year, and Martin Brundle has already seen a noticeable difference from the McLaren star.
On his way to a maiden title last season, Lando Norris experienced nearly every emotion known to man.
The British driver started the season off well, but was quickly usurped at the top of the F1 standings by McLaren counterpart Oscar Piastri.
Piastri would remain in the driver’s seat of the championship for the majority of the season, and Norris’ resiliency was called into question after suffering an engine failure at the Dutch GP, which dropped him 34 points behind his main title rival with nine rounds left to go.
Despite the setback, Norris found his form again when it mattered most and secured a string of important results to clinch the title by just two points at the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.
How many world championships will Lando Norris finish his Formula 1 career with?
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Martin Brundle highlights how Lando Norris seems ‘more confident’ after winning the F1 title
During an appearance on Sky Sports F1’s day four recap of the shakedown in Barcelona, pundit Martin Brundle was asked whether he thinks a new side to the reigning world champion will be seen in the upcoming campaign.
He replied, “Definitely. We saw him at the Autosport Awards, and his teeth must be going dry because he was just grinning the whole time. It’s wonderful to see.
“He’ll walk through the door for the rest of his life as a Formula 1 world champion, and that’s absolutely wonderful for him. He even said on stage last week, ‘Yeah, I can do that again.’
“I think he needs to see things to believe them, to get that confidence. He’s not someone who goes, ‘Yeah, I’m the best, I’ll knock him down in the fifth.’
“He’s the sort of person who obviously needs reassurance, and he’s got that now; he’s got that satisfaction. It’s in the bag. I think he will be incredibly strong through 2026 and beyond.
“There is no doubt about it, he seems more relaxed. He seems more confident. He seems just generally like it’s the next stage in his life.”
- READ MORE: Gary Anderson suspects one part on Lando Norris’ 2026 McLaren F1 car will catch the FIA’s attention
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McLaren are currently eyeing a third consecutive F1 constructors’ championship
With the new season now upon us, McLaren have a chance to replicate the feats of the team’s golden era by securing a third consecutive world constructors’ championship this year.
The last time they achieved such an accolade was at the end of the 1990 season, in a campaign that saw Ayrton Senna become a two-time world champion with the Woking-based outfit.
However, it may prove to be quite the daunting task, given the prowess of Mercedes during F1’s inaugural week of testing for the new regulations.
The Silver Arrows enjoyed three days of uninterrupted running at the Circuit de Catalunya, and many figures within the F1 paddock believe that they may be the team to beat this season.
As an engine customer of Mercedes, McLaren may also benefit from the advancements that engineers in Brackley have made, but it all comes down to the first round of the season in Melbourne to see who will come out on top.
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