McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says Lando Norris is operating with far more confidence than he showed during his 2025 Formula 1 title fight. In Stella’s view, the difficult moments Norris faced early in that championship season ultimately helped shape a more assured driver for 2026.
The assessment centers on Norris’ response to an early slump in 2025 before he recovered and went on to win the world championship. Stella believes that turnaround was an important stage in Norris’ development, giving him stronger belief in his own level and a better platform to deliver consistently as the reigning champion.
According to Stella, the value of that campaign goes beyond the title itself. The experience of working through pressure, setbacks and a demanding season appears to have added maturity to Norris’ driving and strengthened his approach heading into the current year.
That means McLaren sees Norris’ 2026 form not simply as a continuation of his championship pace, but as the result of a broader coming-of-age process. Stella’s comments suggest the team views last season’s challenges as a key reason why Norris now looks more settled, more resilient and more confident at the front of Formula 1.
