Lando Norris does not expect to be able to challenge for the Formula 1 title any time soon.
The Brit already has plenty of experience in the top single-seater category despite being only 23 years old. It is easy to forget his age when watching his performances, and noting that he finished sixth and seventh in the drivers' standings in the last two seasons.
Driving for McLaren, that is an impressive achievement. No driver other than those representing Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari finished above him – and all three of those teams have had much faster cars than the machines Norris had at his disposal.
Now, it is time for him to take the next step. A race win in F1 has so far eluded him, though he has come close – his 2021 heartbreak in Sochi springs to mind.
Many fans will expect him to be in a position to challenge for the title at some point as well. But Norris himself has warned that it is likely to be a few years yet before such a scenario arises.
Asked about his current contract end date of 2025, he told GQ magazine: "With everything I've learned, maybe I could win a race, but I'm unlikely to win a championship until possibly that time. I know I need to be at the absolute top of my game in those years."
Whether or not Norris has the ability to challenge for the title is not in question. Whether he will have the chance to battle for the championship will depend on the competitiveness of his car.
McLaren have yet to do so, but have ambitions of moving to the front of the grid. That is why chief executive Zak Brown is so insistent that he is not concerned about the prospect of losing Norris to another, more competitive team.
"I'm convinced we're going to give him a winning car," he recently said. "We have a long-term contract with him. I think he feels very comfortable within the team... He knows the journey we're on. He has bought into the journey that we're on, and I think it'd be early to be worried about it."
