Two-time world champion, Mike Hakkinen believes that Lando Norris is on the similar degree as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
The Finn’s feedback are hardly prone to make Norris really feel any higher following a massively disappointing begin to his season final weekend in Bahrain which noticed him end final, two laps down on Verstappen.
Certainly, after only one spherical of the 2022 season, there’s already media hypothesis over the teenager’s future, regardless of Norris being contracted to McLaren till the tip of 2025.
“He is a really fast driver, he is achieved lots, or slightly he is proven convincing outcomes constantly,” Hakkinen tells Unibet.
“He is super-talented, no query about it,” he provides. “He is on the identical degree as Leclerc, Verstappen and Sainz. He is on a really high-level speed-wise.”
Hakkinen, who spent eight seasons at McLaren, the vast majority of his F1 profession, profitable back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999, believes his outdated group will come good once more, however not for a number of years.
“I do not suppose McLaren has very excessive expectations this 12 months,” he admits. “They know their improvement division, and their sponsors and companions are world-class know-how giants. McLaren has their help however the group is aware of they don’t seem to be fairly there but. The outcomes want a pair extra years.
“They’re in it for the long term and have good companions,” he provides. “Like I stated, there could be some outcomes this 12 months however I believe the true efficiency might be seen in a few years.”
Although Norris is barely 23, now in his fifth season with McLaren, it’s unlikely that he’ll really feel ready to attend these couple of years.
