'Lando Can Compete With Schumacher & Alonso': Norris Praised By McLaren Team Principal

F1
Saturday, 28 October 2023 at 08:30
norris lando mclaren
Lando Norris is one of the most talented drivers in F1, and according to McLaren's Team Principal, Andrea Stella, he could be even compared with the likes of Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
Norris' talent was never in doubt, and he's been showing it since he joined Formula One. Apart from his first two seasons in the F1, the British driver bested both of his teammates, as he scored more points than Daniel Ricciardo in 2021 and 2022, and he's likely to beat Oscar Piastri in 2023.
Therefore, it's not surprising that Norris has always been referred to as one of the biggest talents in the sport. His current Team Principal, Andrea Stella took it even further recently.
When speaking on Formula 1's Beyond the Grid podcast, Stella compared the Brit's raw pace to the legends of the sport such as the seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and the two-time champion Fernando Alonso.
"I think the ingredients for Lando to be able to succeed, like these drivers have been able to succeed, are coming together. When it is about natural speed, I think Lando can compete with some of these big names like Schumacher or Fernando Alonso."
When talking about possible improvements, Stella mentioned the race craft, saying that the driver is probably never going to have a perfect car, and that's why he has to learn to work with what he has available at a given moment.
"The real success factor is in making the race craft bigger and bigger, creating as much as possible adaptability, because you're never going to have the perfect car. You're never going to have the perfect situation. It can happen."
On top of that, Stella said that at the moment, it's more about McLaren making a competitive car for the British driver, as his qualities are obviously there.
"He's clearly there. I think if anything, it’s more on us now to give him the machinery to be able to capitalise on his own qualities."