Norris: We’re still fighting for ourselves

McLaren's resurgence means their drivers are fighting for victories every weekend, while Red Bull and their star driver Max Verstappen fumble, with a car that once won seven out of ten GPs but has since slumped in performance, leaving the World Championship leader winless since the Spanish GP. Step into the picture: Norris and McLaren.

Already Stella's team is top of the 2024 F1 constructors standings ahead of the United States GP up next, Round 19 of the 24. While 24-year-old Norris has driven himself into F1 title contention, some feel, without much help from his team and teammate Piastri.

But Norris expects no favours for his title challenge and does not see where McLaren can do more for him: “I’ve not lost out on any points. It’s like saying from Round 1 that Oscar needs to let me pass in every race; it doesn’t make sense. I’ve been the closest for a long time, but other drivers can still win the championship, not just me.

“We’re still fighting for ourselves. Oscar is fighting for himself, and Charles [Leclerc] is fighting for himself. There isn’t a number. You cannot say exactly that these race rules need to change. It doesn’t make sense. I’m very happy with how we’ve worked as a team and the direction we’re going," affirmed Norris.

That 'happiness' he attributes to team principal Stella, who has led the turnaround at McLaren. Norris acknowledged: "I probably wouldn’t ask for anyone else to have his job and make these kinds of decisions."

“From all the people that I’ve known and worked with," continued Norris. "I think Andrea is one of the most integral parts of keeping a team together, motivating the team, pushing the team, and making the team what it is today, which is close to being the best team in Formula 1 at the minute.

“I have a lot of confidence in him, and we just work well. There are always good points, constructive points, and criticism points, but that all just makes us work better as a team. I think the most important thing that we have is just honesty between one another.

“When I agree or disagree, when he agrees or disagrees, we say it to one another, and we come up with the best solution. I’m very happy with how he works and how he wants to understand things. He’s a smart guy, but he’s also a racer.

“He knows how you go racing, and he’s worked with a lot of incredible drivers in the past, so he knows the mentality of drivers as well and how every driver just wants to go out and win and not listen to what people say, but also knows you have to at the same time. I couldn’t ask for a better boss," declared Norris.

Ahead of the next round at COTA, Norris is P2 in the 2024 F1 Drivers's standings, 52 points adrift of Verstappen, with Piastri in P4, 42 points down on his teammate. McLaren top of the F1 Constructors table 41 points ahead of Red Bull in P2.