F1 News
Can McLaren become World Champions? 'They must keep the drivers'
McLaren have certainly had a triumphant start to the 2024 season, including their first race win since Daniel Ricciardo won in Monza in 2018. The team is showing great promise, and look set to challenge Red Bull for the constructors championship this season. This is why hosts of Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan and David Coulthard believe McLaren has what it takes to become world champions.
McLaren had a strong end to the 2023 season, and have had an even stronger start to 2024, with Lando Norris securing their first win since 2018. The British team currently sits third in the constructors championship behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Moreover, both drivers sit within the top ten of the drivers championship. As Eddie Jordan highlighted, the team is set to bring even more success: "Everytime I look at it, it's positive,"
"It could be the great new success coming forward. I don't know, but, I think full marks to Zak [Brown], this team. Andrea [Stella], well done to the crown prince. I think this has a great chance of being world champions in the future, but they need to consolidate and keep those drivers together, keep the belief together and keep doing what they're doing."
'You both can't win'
Both McLaren drivers, Norris, and Oscar Piastri are signed up for the long-haul with the team. Piastri signed an extension to 2026 in 2023, and Norris announced his new multi-year deal at the start of 2024.
However, as David Coulthard pointed out, they can't both be world champions: "The issue I think McLaren have in the future is when you've got two brilliant drivers, suddenly with a winning car, you both can't win, and that's when you find out who your friends are." He added: "That's when you find out how good you are at being able to manage the egos and personalities of the two drivers."