Norris and McLaren: The Journey From First Points to Title Contention

The year 2025 may have begun to draw to its close, but the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship is far from over. With only one race remaining on the F1 calendar, motorsports fans join in eager anticipation to watch the title decider under the lights of the Yas Marina Circuit - which you can watch for FREE with a same day museum entry ticket or annual pass.

In honour of the MCL34 being on display as a part of our current collection, we take a closer look at our British born title contender and the very first Formula 1 points that kick started his journey towards world champion hopeful, with McLaren. 

The year is 2017 and a 17 year old Lando Norris has come out of 2016 having just completed an action packed season of motor racing, competing in and winning the 2016 Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup; 2016 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup; 2016 Toyota Racing Series Championship; as well as racing in the 2016 BRDC British F3 Championship and being awarded the 2016 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award.

This was the striking string of performances which garnered the attention of Formula 1 scouts, earning the young Lando Norris a place within the McLaren Young Driver Development Programme, and resulting in him being signed as a Test and Simulator Driver. His new position saw Lando take a leap into the world of Formula 1, completing all important simulator testing and participating in testing sessions for the team. This was a role undertaken alongside his 2016 Formula 3 Championship campaign, in which he emerged victorious, securing the championship title on his first attempt.

Success in these ventures would later lead to his official appointment as the McLaren Test and Reserve driver for the 2018 Formula 1 season. Notably, Norris made his official F1 debut participating in an official practice session leading up to the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix; 2018 being the same year which Norris secured the runner up position in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, the result of a prosperous season which included winning the opening race in Bahrain. 

Proving to be a valuable investment for the team, McLaren acted accordingly and in 2018, announced a driver shakeup, signing Carlos Sainz to replace Fernando Alonso and partner with their promising Formula 1 rookie Lando Norris, who would fill the seat of Stoffel Vandoorne, thus completing their driver line up for the 2019 season. This line up change came as one of several changes made by the legacy team, in an attempt to return to the front of the grid after fighting in the mid field for so long. 

The 2017 Formula 1 season had seen McLaren place ninth in the Constructors Championship for the second time ever. Consequently, in September 2017, after only three seasons, McLaren announced the end of their partnership with Honda and went on to invest in Renault power for 2018. A change which brought some improvement in performance with the MCL33, however, the team only achieved sixth in the standings despite their best efforts to progress further. McLaren admitted performance issues affecting their qualifying and race pace, issues with the aerodynamics of the car, and lack of clarity and communication within the team; all factors which came to a head and ultimately set in motion the necessity to regroup, regrow and restructure.

Enter Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. A brand new driver line up, paired with the all new MCL34, and a management restructure which would streamline the decision making process within the team.

Built under the direction of Pat Fry, the MCL34 needed to address the teams own performance concerns whilst also complying with a change in technical regulations for the 2019 season, including: wider, higher front and rear wing designs; simplified break duct design; and an increased fuel allowance. 

The MCL34 was revealed in February 2019 and showcased a new bargeboard and sidepod design focused on improving downforce, as well as a suspension and rear wing redesign, and an overall narrower rear bodywork design to address drag- all powered by a Renault E-Tech 19 V6 engine. A return of the Papaya livery, paying homage to the teams roots, completed McLaren’s offering for the 2019 season, with nothing left to do other than to wait and see how the MCL34 would perform in the hands of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. 

The commencement of Lando Norris’ Formula 1 racing career with McLaren began in March 2019, at the opening race of the season in Albert Park. The Australian Grand Prix ended with Norris finishing a stone's throw away from the points, in P12.

Come Round 2 of the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship, Lando began his weekend at Bahrain International Circuit by making a second Q3 appearance, qualifying P10 on the grid. Come Sunday, Lando began the race with a promising launch off the line but encountered a chaotic Lap 1, contending with wheel spin and making contact into turn 1, ultimately forcing him off track and pushing his McLaren down to P14. 

Despite this set back and getting stuck in a DRS train, Norris puts in a stellar performance, weaving together a string of impressive overtakes, namely a dive down the outside of Turn 4 which allowed him to sail pass the Red Bull of Pierre Gasly. This determined drive allowed Norris and the MCL34 to take the chequered flag in a career best best finish.

At only 19 years of age, in the second race of his rookie season, Lando Norris crossed the line in Sakhir and secured P6, claiming his 8 maiden championship points.

During the 2019 season, Norris went on to score points 11 times and McLaren closed out the season by placing fourth in the Constructors Championship.

Fast forward six years, McLaren have just celebrated their second Constructors’ Championship win, in recent years, and are due to enter the final race weekend of 2025 with two Drivers’ Championship contenders. Lando Norris leads with 408 points, whilst Oscar Piastri sits in P3 of the standings with 392, just behind Max Verstappen with 396 points in P2. 

Just 16 points separate the top three and with everything to play for, Abu Dhabi may see either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri clutch the World Drivers’ Championship title and deliver the final missing piece of McLaren’s return to greatness. 

You can come view the MCL34 for yourself, as well as an astounding line up of vehicles which have shaped and defined motorsport history, by visiting Silverstone Museum. 

For more information on how to book, click here.

Author: Annie Tuff