Lando Norris is "as good as anyone" racing in Formula 1 right now, according to his team boss Zak Brown.
The Brit is only 23 years old but already has several years of experience in F1. More than that, he has been largely impressive during his first few years racing in the sport and is regarded by many as a future champion if given a car capable of competing for the title.
McLaren chief executive Brown has long been aware of Norris' talent. Before he made his F1 debut, he took part in the 24 Hours of Daytona as a teenager, driving alongside Fernando Alonso and fellow Brit Phil Hanson in a United Autosports entry.
It gave Brown a chance to assess how Norris compared to one of F1's most talented drivers in recent decades and only further reinforced the American's belief that he had a special talent on his hands.
Recalling that event, Brown made the bold claim that Norris' talent matches anyone on the current F1 grid, including Alonso. "I think he is as good as anyone on the grid and I've felt that from day one when I put him against Fernando in the 24 Hours of Daytona, foreign car, foreign track," he told ESPN.
"I think Fernando is as good as any F1 driver there's ever been... and Lando matches him, and depending on what time of day it was, maybe he even got him a little bit, and vice versa. You see that natural talent. You do get some drivers who are a one-make discipline and you throw them in a unique situation and they don't get up to speed as quickly."
Norris is still yet to prove that he can turn that talent on the track into race wins. He has come close on several occasions but is yet to stand on the top step of an F1 podium.
Despite that, Brown is confident his driver will break his duck sooner or later, and feels he can get the better of some of the other bright young talents on the grid. He added: "Lando's one of those guys if we put everyone in a dirt buggy and we put all the F1 drivers in a race, he'd be at the front because he's got that kind of natural talent.
"He's a total star. And he's pushing us. He wants to be winning races, I'm sure he knows he can beat George [Russell] and he has beaten George before... and he goes out and wins. He's going to be anxious people he's raced with don't get too many more wins before he starts getting his."
