Andrea Stella Hails Lando Norris as 'World Champion Material' After Zandvoort Triumph
McLaren's Andrea Stella commends Lando Norris for his impressive performance in Zandvoort, marking his second consecutive Grand Prix win. With a daring on-track move and strategic prowess, Norris continues to exhibit championship-level skills.
Lando Norris is on a roll. Fresh off winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, he's managed to clinch another victory in the Netherlands, cementing his status as a driver to watch. Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, is singing his praises, suggesting Norris is now driving at a world champion level.
Norris didn't just cruise to victory at Zandvoort; he had to earn it by overtaking Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli on track. Despite a less-than-ideal start, where he slipped behind Antonelli at the second standing start, Norris showed his mettle by leveraging the hard compound tyre to his advantage. This allowed him to catch up and execute a daring pass on Antonelli, even as Lewis Hamilton was out of sequence ahead of them, courtesy of Ferrari's pit strategy.
Once in the lead, Norris was unstoppable, maintaining a pace that matched Antonelli, who was on fresher tyres. His ability to manage tyre performance on a day when many struggled was particularly impressive to Stella. "I think Lando is driving at the level of a World Champion," Stella remarked, noting Norris's continuous improvement since the start of 2025.
It hasn't been an easy journey for McLaren this season. They started 2026 off the podium and even failed to start the race in China. However, the upgrades introduced in Hungary have clearly paid off. With Norris now 83 points behind Antonelli in the championship, there's talk of a potential title defense.
But Stella is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. "Our approach is one race at a time," he stated, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the season. Next up is Monza, a circuit with entirely different demands compared to Zandvoort and Hungary. Stella is cautiously optimistic, acknowledging that while high downforce circuits suit them well, Monza's emphasis on drag and braking could be challenging.
As the season progresses, McLaren and Norris will be looking to confirm their improvements and continue fighting for victories. For now, Norris's back-to-back wins and his masterful handling of tricky conditions have certainly put him in the conversation as a potential future world champion.