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Lando Norris had a breakthrough season in 2021. The driver who was supposed to play Daniel Ricciardo's second fiddle role at McLaren turned out to be the team leader. His performances should have been a welcome surprise for McLaren as well as the rest of the grid.
From a bright young talent, Norris transformed himself into a superstar in Formula 1 in 2021.
How did Lando Norris' F1 2021 season look statistically?
Lando Norris achieved his first F1 pole position in Russia this season. Complementing this, he followed Daniel Ricciardo home in Monza in a historic 1-2 finish for McLaren. Theirs was the only 1-2 finish for any team this season.
Norris, for the most part, had challenged for P3 in the driver standings ahead of even Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. If not for the late-season drop in performance for McLaren, he might have been able to pull it off as well.
- Points: 160
- Position: 6th
- Pole: 1
- Podiums: 4
What worked for Lando Norris?
The speed that Lando Norris displayed throughout the season was never in question in his earlier seasons either. What turned the tide in Norris' favor this time was the added wrinkle of consistency that he added to his game.
It was a rare occurrence for Norris to be off the pace at any point in time this season. The way he overshadowed Ricciardo throughout the season was a surprise for many and it cemented him at the top of the pecking order of the F1 grid.
Races like the one at Imola and Monza were evidence of Norris picking up every available opportunity with precise overtakes of Charles Leclerc in both cases. The F1 2021 season has seen Norris finally fulfill the promise he has shown throughout his career. This season onwards, the young McLaren driver will be a force on the grid to be reckoned with.
What didn't work for Lando Norris?
In what was seemingly a faultless season, Lando Norris did show a few chinks in his armor. These foibles could be a deterrent to his potential showdowns in the future against the best.
The first was arguably what happened in Russia. Despite not knowing the entire picture, Norris took matters into his own hands and went against the team orders to pit for intermediates. Mistakes like these do get ironed out with experience, but that is one of the key areas that Norris might need to be careful about in the future.
Coupled with this, Norris did have a slight dip in form in the later stages of the season. It could be a sign of fatigue from a lengthy season or it could also be a sign of Norris taking the foot off the pedal later in the season. Either way, the 22-year-old, now driving at the sharper end of the grid, needs to be careful with that.
What's next for Lando Norris in the F1 2022 season?
For Lando Norris, as is the case for almost everyone in Formula 1, the 2022 season is a bit of an unknown. Who knows what the pecking order is going to be and how the drivers adapt to the new cars. Simultaneously, however, Norris will be looking to continue on his improved run and try to continue progressing further towards the front of the grid.
