McLaren team principal Zak Brown has declared that Lando Norris' confidence is "sky high" as the British driver gears up to defend his Formula One World Championship crown. Brown described Norris as "highly motivated" ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on March 8, where the McLaren driver will begin his title defence campaign.
Norris' Maiden Championship Victory
Norris secured his first Formula One World Championship in dramatic fashion at last season's finale in Abu Dhabi. The McLaren driver outperformed both his teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen to claim the prestigious title. This landmark victory marked the culmination of Norris' career ambitions and established him as one of Formula One's elite competitors.
Confidence at Peak Levels
Despite Norris' comments at McLaren's car launch that he would be content if he never won another championship, having achieved his lifetime goal, Brown insists the driver's motivation remains exceptionally strong. "Lando's confidence is very high, even higher than it was before," Brown stated. "He is highly motivated."
Brown drew comparisons to legendary drivers who pursued multiple championships: "There are some drivers who say: 'I've won it and I'm done.' And then you have drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Michael Schumacher, who say: 'I have done it once and I want to win it twice, three, four times.'"
McLaren's Championship Ambitions
McLaren enters the new season having won the past two constructors' championships, but faces potential challenges from Mercedes, who appear to hold an early advantage following major regulatory changes. Brown emphasized the team's responsibility to provide competitive equipment: "It is our job to give him and Oscar the equipment to let them fight it out for the championship and if we can do that, then both Oscar and Lando will be in with a shout."
Mercedes Engine Controversy
The upcoming season has been clouded by controversy surrounding Mercedes-powered teams, including McLaren. Rival teams have alleged that Mercedes exploited a regulatory loophole to increase engine compression ratios beyond the permitted 16:1 limit, potentially gaining significant lap time advantages.
Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff recently made headlines with animated comments urging competitors to "get their s*** together" and focus on performance rather than excuses. Brown addressed the ongoing political maneuvering: "It is typical politics of Formula One. It is the job of other teams that if there is a perceived advantage, they will make some story out of it."
Brown defended the compliance of Mercedes engines: "The reality is that the engines are completely compliant, within the rules and have passed all of the tests. We will have all the Mercedes-powered teams on the grid in Australia, I am sure."
Pre-Season Preparations
The Formula One calendar continues with the second pre-season test beginning in Bahrain on Wednesday, followed by three additional days of testing in the Gulf Kingdom next week. These sessions will provide crucial data ahead of the season curtain-raiser at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8, where Norris will officially begin his championship defence.
