"I need to play a little bit of the patience game" - Lando Norris doesn't see McLaren winning races till 2024 or 2025

Lando Norris has said that he does not see McLaren winning races till 2024 or 2025.

Talking to motorsportweek, Norris was asked if he felt he could fight for wins against the likes of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The McLaren driver said that he doesn't see that happening any time soon. Norris added that he's being patient for now and hopes that pays off in the long run. He said:

“I would say even between 2022 to 2023, I’m not expecting realistically a win or a couple of wins. For me, my confidence is in 2024 and 2025, and until then, I need to play a little bit of the patience game."

Norris did not rule out a surprise win or two in the next two seasons, like Esteban Ocon had last season or his teammate Daniel Ricciardo. However, McLaren have a few years of work to do to become a frontrunner. Norris said:

"There’s still times where you could achieve a win, even with Daniel (Ricciardo) last year achieving a win, and me almost having pole in Austria, having pole in Russia, almost winning Russia – those things can come along the way."

He added:

“Even when (Esteban) Ocon wins and (Pierre) Gasly wins, those moments can come, but until genuinely being in a position where I can say ‘There’s now more excuses, and we want to win genuinely rather than with a bit of luck because certain things happen’, that time is in 2024 and 2025."

He added that sometimes he would get frustrated by the situation but understands that patience is key, saying:

“It’s a patience game, which is not the nicest thing because I do get frustrated, like this year we’re not as competitive as what we want to be. So is the whole team, like James (Key) and everyone understands we should have taken a step forward this year, and if anything, we are a little bit back from where we were.”

Norris (101) is seventh in the driver standings following the Japanese GP last weekend. He has scored the bulk of points for McLaren (130), who are fifth in the constructor table.

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"Personally as a driver, sometimes it hurts" - McLaren's Lando Norris

Lando Norris said that it hurts having a low ceiling but that;s a phase every driver goes through at some point. He said:

“Of course, everyone is frustrated because of that because we all have the same goals. I guess just personally as a driver sometimes it hurts, you can feel like you do such a good job, and you get a little bit stuck at times. You don’t feel like you’re getting rewarded that well for what you’re achieving or what you’re putting in, but I think that’s just Formula 1, that’s just what happens."

He added:

“Many drivers have gone through those times. I just have the faith that we will be able to move out of this little area that we’re in, and have been these last few years, and take those next few steps earlier on.”

Norris will team up with Oscar Piastri next season, as McLaren have replaced Daniel Ricciardo with the young former F2 world champion.