Norris backed for F1 title challenge if key flaw fixed

Ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has backed Lando Norris to mount a title challenge this season - but only if he makes improvements to his starts.

Norris currently sits 70 points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship having slightly narrowed the gap following his victory at the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend.

The McLaren driver won the race despite losing the lead at the start as he mounted a comeback to re-overtake Verstappen for the victory.

His poor run into the first corner was one of several this year, with Norris himself conceding it is a key area he needs to improve going forward.

As the Briton looks to make further inroads on Verstappen in the standings, Palmer highlighted race starts remain the “final chink left in his armour” to amend.

“I’ve little doubt that Lando knows how to do good race starts,” Palmer wrote in his column for F1.com. 

“We’ve seen it before where he’s raced into the lead at Silverstone or Austin last year for example, both from second on the grid. Ironically he’s statistically better at starting second than first in Formula 1.

“This indicates it’s likely more of a mental thing for him right now. When you line up on pole you have a clear track in front of you, but you also have no reference for your start, so you have to focus entirely on yourself. In a way it can feel like you have little to gain and so much to lose.

“He’s been harsh on himself this year but he’s generally driving at an impeccably high level, as we saw this weekend. 

“He’s on the verge of getting himself into a championship challenge for the first time in F1 and I feel that whether or not this becomes a genuine drivers’ title battle could depend on him sorting out his starts.

“It seems the final chink left in his armour – and he won’t always have such an advantage to make amends in future races, as he did on Sunday.”

Norris poor starts have 'cost race wins'

Norris has bagged two race wins this year with his victory in the Netherlands adding to his maiden triumph from Miami in May.

However, Palmer believes the 25-year-old would have more wins in his pocket this year if he was on top of his starts from pole position.

“In Barcelona and Budapest this year, losing the lead into Turn 1 has undoubtedly cost Norris those race wins,” he said. 

“Had he been able to convert in this crucial phase, his championship deficit to Max Verstappen would be at 49 points right now as opposed to 70.

“Those races, along with his maiden pole in Sochi have been on circuits with a long run to the first corner, where keeping pole can be trickier. 

“Naturally it’s far easier to maintain the lead into Turn 1 when you don’t have a big acceleration zone for any start losses to be exacerbated and slipstreams to take effect.

“The rest of Lando’s P1 starts have been undone in the second phase though, and that was emphatically the case at Zandvoort once again, which has one of the shorter runs to the first braking point.