Brown: Unbelievably fast Norris 'as good as anyone in F1'

McLaren boss Zak Brown believes Lando Norris can hold his own against anyone in F1 and insists the young Briton is ripe for his first Grand Prix win.

After two formative first years in F1 with McLaren in 2019 and 2020, Norris established himself last season as the team's de facto leader after he succeeded in outpacing his high-profile teammate, Daniel Ricciardo.

This year, after a slow start with McLaren's new-generation car, Norris scored consecutive top-ten finishes in Saudi Arabia, Melbourne and at Imola where the 22-year-old clinched his sixth career podium in F1, his first in 2022.

Although Norris is still developing, his outstanding "pure talent" puts him among Grand Prix racing's top drivers according to Brown.

©McLaren

"He is, in my opinion, as good as anyone in Formula 1. Unbelievably fast," the McLaren boss said, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast.

"But... there are a lot of fast drivers in Formula 1. I think the part I’m most impressed with with Lando is how few mistakes he makes.

"And his mistakes are small, a track limit, locked up a brake; you haven’t seen him many times put the car in the fence, run wide on a corner under pressure and make a mistake.

"I think as far as pure natural talent, I think he has as much as anyone in Formula 1."

Read also: McLaren happy with Ricciardo, but planning for the future

Brown reckons that Norris, armed with the right equipment, is ripe for stepping into F1's winner's circle, a feat the Briton almost achieved last season in Russia.

"I think as long as we continue to show forward progress, he will be satisfied his win is not far away,” said the American.

"I mean, he could have won three races in a row last year.

"In Monza, there was nothing between he and Daniel, in Russia had it not been for the call at the end of the race, that race was his to win. And Spa, he was the fastest person in qualifying by some margin all the way up until he had his accident.

"So, he could have won three on the trot. So… he’s ready to win for sure, we just need to put him in a position to win."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.