Lando Norris may be incredibly fast on the race track – but his punctuality off it leaves a lot to be desired.
That's the view of McLaren chief executive Zak Brown. The American has always spoken highly of Norris who, despite being only 23 years old, has led the team exceptionally well.
But even though he is ticking all the boxes as a Formula 1 driver when it comes to results, the Brit still apparently has some other improvements to make. According to Brown, he has on multiple occasions been frustrated by Norris' tendency to fail to turn up to appointments on time.
"What frustrates me about Lando?" he pondered in an interview with GQ magazine. "He's been five minutes late more than once. If we're supposed to leave at 8.00, it might be 8.07. The great thing about him is he is very honest and owns everything. And he's definitely improved."
Clearly Brown is not too concerned about his driver's lack of punctuality, though, as he spent the rest of the interview waxing lyrical about Norris. "When he first went up against Fernando Alonso it was like another day at the office. I think that calmness and coolness is why he's so consistent," he added.
"I think we get the best out of him. He's more talkative and engaged. He's able to let his hair down. It's like family. He knows how to get the best out of a race car and put the car to its limits. He's also able to very articulately convey what that car is doing, because he has such a good feel for it; his technical feedback is excellent."
Norris is contracted to McLaren until the end of the 2025 campaign, having signed an extension at the start of last season. Despite his impressively consistent results to date, he is yet to win a race or compete for the championship, as he has not had a car capable of doing so.
While Norris is certainly settled at McLaren, there is no doubting his ambition. He has hinted in the past that, if his current employer is unable to provide him with a title-challenging car by the end of his current deal, he may consider his other options.
Brown recently said he is "convinced" McLaren will give Norris the chance to win before then, and is not concerned about losing the Brit. "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," he stated.
