2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg believes Lando Norris has demonstrated “world champion-like” uncooked velocity however has warned he might want to overcome “some interior demons” if he’s going to win subsequent yr’s world championship.
Norris loved his most profitable F1 season to this point in 2024, securing the runner-up spot behind Max Verstappen.
The Brit took 4 victories and eight pole positions as he positioned himself as Verstappen’s nearest challenger for the world title.
At one level, Norris regarded like he may have taken the title to the wire as he claimed pole place in Brazil, with Verstappen down in seventeenth.
Nonetheless, an error-strewn race from Norris coincided with a masterclass from Verstappen, placing the title closely within the Dutchman’s favour.
Nonetheless, Norris ended the yr strongly with a dominant victory on the Yas Marina Circuit at hand McLaren their first constructors’ title since 1998.
Talking on the Sky F1 podcast, Rosberg heaped reward on Norris for his “phenomenal” uncooked velocity – however warned he must get on high of the little errors he made all year long.
“He has proven uncooked velocity on a stage that I might say with one of the best, so even with a Max Verstappen,” Rosberg stated. “So the uncooked velocity is there. It’s very phenomenal and is world champion-like.
“The place now we have nonetheless seen a little bit little bit of points for him is that he has some interior demons in his thoughts which leads to the one or different mistake additionally.
“Like, probably the most notable was Singapore the place he was main by 20 seconds and two occasions he nearly crashed out. Like that was to the extent of a bit unusual. He has to work on that a little bit bit nonetheless to cut back the one or different mistake, which is an space the place Piastri is stronger.
“Piastri shouldn’t be as quick together with his peak velocity however he’s all the time constant, all the time there, no errors. Lando, he’s the favorite for subsequent yr now to win the championship.”
Was 2024 a missed alternative for Norris?
Even when Norris and McLaren are content material with the progress they made in 2024, was it a missed alternative within the drivers’ championship?
Poor strategic selections value Norris wins in Canada and Britain, whereas poor begins meant he misplaced out to Piastri in Hungary and Italy.
The excellent news for McLaren is that they ended the yr with the strongest automobile – or at the least probably the most constant automobile.
With the rules remaining secure over the winter, their possibilities of a title pursuit must be excessive.
