Lando Norris didn’t make the cost to the 2025 Formulation 1 crown straightforward for himself final yr. The younger Briton took the battle to the ultimate race of the yr as he fended off assaults from team-mate Oscar Piastri and a late resurgence from Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen. However 2026 gives a clear slate for the McLaren driver.
Amid Formulation 1’s guidelines shakeup, Norris may face stiff competitors over 2026 from additional afield on the grid in contrast with final yr. Mercedes seems robust after testing, as does Ferrari, and solely a idiot would rely out Pink Bull given its historical past within the collection. With this in thoughts, our consultants share their opinions on Norris’ prospects in F1 2026.
Filip Cleeren – Norris now has the arrogance to match his tempo, however will he have the automotive?
Norris is a brilliantly flawed world champion. There was by no means any doubt about his uncooked tempo, however 2025 noticed him overcome self doubt and technical difficulties with the MCL39 to say his maiden title. That crown initially appeared like going to Piastri till the Australian suffered a rougher spell that noticed him relegated to 3rd behind Norris and Verstappen. Norris’s racecraft has additionally come beneath fireplace in recent times, however his decisive overtakes within the Abu Dhabi finale, when it mattered probably the most, have been spectacular.
Norris will not get any faster – nobody does at this stage of their careers – however by proving to himself he could be a world champion, the arrogance he has taken from 2025’s coming-of-age yr will make him extra relaxed, particularly within the face of exterior strain.
On the identical time, Piastri will even get higher into his fourth season, so the Australian can actually make life troublesome for Norris if he can repeat his early 2025 kind. The larger query mark for each drivers is the automotive. McLaren seems set to start out the season behind the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari. How far off will it’s? And might it develop its method again to the entrance once more like in 2024?
Jake Boxall-Legge – A profitable title defence may be exhausting with McLaren
After getting his title over the road, Norris could really feel that he not has something to show – however, freed of the shackles and the expectation, he’ll certainly get even higher as time goes on. His championship-winning season started with a character-building interval within the early season however, as soon as he received extra comfy with McLaren’s MCL39 and struggled much less with the automotive over a scorching lap, the outcomes started to return to him.
Robust in low-grip circumstances, Norris ought to be capable to acquaint himself properly with the brand new automotive; the carryover in confidence bestowed upon him with final yr’s crown also needs to rely for one thing within the early season. McLaren may not be as aggressive as final yr and a profitable title defence might be exhausting, however he ought to be capable to compete for the odd win.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Picture by: Mark Thompson / Getty Photos
Ronald Vording – Norris’ consistency made an enormous step ahead in 2025
Simply as Verstappen identified on the finish of 2021, the identical applies to Norris: he has already achieved his lifetime aim in Formulation 1 – no matter what occurs on this new period. Norris will without end be a part of the illustrious checklist of F1 world champions, and he’s reminded of that reality day-after-day this season by the #1 displayed on his McLaren.
With Norris, pure tempo nonetheless stands out for my part – and actually, it has achieved since his junior profession. I’ve ranked him third on the present grid when it comes to pure velocity, behind Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. His qualifying velocity is normally on level, even within the harder race weekends, which suggests he ought to rating larger there than it the opposite classes.
By way of consistency, Norris made a big step ahead within the second half of final season. I consider everybody’s consistency numbers would have been a lot decrease if the steadiness had been drawn in the course of the 2025 summer time break. However what Norris has proven since Zandvoort has been very constant – together with his performances beneath strain. He’ll undoubtedly profit from that step for the rest of his profession, apart from the truth that profitable a world title naturally brings a sure psychological calm.
How our ranking system works
To set the drivers aside, now we have taken inspiration from the official F1 sport to attribute scores in 4 completely different classes, out of a most of 100.
Expertise (EXP): An goal rating merely based mostly on the motive force’s expertise stage by way of whole race begins
Racecraft (RAC): The driving force’s capacity to race wheel to wheel, both to defend a place or pull off a decisive overtake, with out touchdown themselves in hassle with the stewards
Consistency (CON): The driving force’s capacity to maintain clear, keep away from unforced errors whereas being constantly fast in a race
Tempo (PAC): Displays a driver’s tempo over one lap, largely in relation to their team-mate
General Ranking (OVR): The 4 above classes might be mixed into an general ranking, weighted in direction of Tempo.
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