Lando Norris remains defiant in prediction for elusive win in 2024

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Lando Norris remains convinced he will win his first F1 race next season.

The McLaren driver was on the podium seven times in 2023 – taking his total career podium appearances up to 13 – but is still yet to secure that first win he so desperately craves.

Norris did little wrong this year in his battles at the front, with Max Verstappen storming to most of his victories in routine fashion, but the late squandering of a race win in Russia in 2021 will still be etched in the memory.

However, buoyed by an improved car midway through this season, the 24-year-old believes 2024 will be the year in which he finally stands on the top step of the podium.

“It’s [first win] going to be next year and I’m with McLaren next year, I feel like we’re so close,” he said.

"We have a lot more things in place, we’ve got a few new guys who are starting as well, coming from other teams. Now, we’re in the strongest place we’ve been for probably the last 10 years.

"I feel like we’ve got more things to look forward to next year - we’ve finally got the wind tunnel properly going and so many things which are coming together more than ever. If there’s ever a time in my life, over the last five years, I want to be a bit more confident, it’s probably going into 2024.

"But we just need to start the season off well. This year we started off terribly and we’ve still ended up being very, very strong. So if we can start the season a little bit strong, at least, then I think it can be a great year."

Norris has a contract with McLaren until the end of the 2025 season but he has been linked with the second seat at Red Bull, with Sergio Perez’s deal expiring at the end of 2024 and an extension appearing unlikely given his topsy-turvy form.

The 2024 Formula 1 season, featuring a record 24 races, starts on 2 March with the Bahrain Grand Prix.