Ahead of his fifth season in F1, Zak Brown has likened Lando Norris to the sort of star player NFL franchises build their teams around.

"Lando's a franchise driver," the American tells ESPN. "Lando's one of those guys… if we put everyone in a dirt buggy and we put all the F1 drivers in a race, he'd be at the front because he's got that kind of natural talent.

"He's a total star," he adds, "and he's pushing us."

Entering F1 in 2019 with McLaren, Norris finished his maiden season 11th, and over the next couple of years progressed to 9th and then 6th, before slipping back to 7th in 2022, though this was more about the short comings of the car at his disposal insists Brown, who believes Norris to be a better driver than contemporary George Russell who scored his maiden win last season.

"He wants to be winning races," says Brown, "I'm sure he knows he can beat George and he has beaten George before.

"He's going to be anxious people he's raced with don't get too many more wins before he starts getting his."

Asked if he considers Norris to be among the best out there, Brown is in no doubt.

"Unbelievably fast," he responds. "He pulls it out in qualifying all the time. He can put a lap together. He rarely makes mistakes, and when he does they're very small. It's, 'he missed the apex, he locked a brake', but you don't see him sticking it in the fence.

"His race craft is really strong now. If I look at year one, he was a little too polite on track at times. Now he's someone you can race hard with and he'll race you hard, he's clean but he's hard, he gets his elbows out. He can manage tyres very well.

"I think he is as good as anyone on the grid and I've felt that from day one, when I put him against Fernando (Alonso) in the (2018) 24 Hours of Daytona, foreign car, foreign track.

"Fernando is as good as any F1 driver there's ever been, and Lando matches him, and depending on what time of day it was, maybe he even got him a little bit, and vice versa.

"You see that natural talent. You do get some drivers who are a one-make discipline and you throw them in a unique situation and they don't get up to speed as quickly."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Batman, 02/02/2023 2:47

"Is he trying to put Norris up for auction?"

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2. Posted by kenji, 01/02/2023 11:37

"Re Norris Is he a remarkable driver No. He's what one would expect should present as an elite F1 pilot. Does he have a great PR front? Well if you count SKY TV as that body then the answer is yes.Is he a potential future champion ? Possibly, but there are quite a few equal if not better drivers on the grid ATM. "

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3. Posted by Wokingchap, 01/02/2023 9:30

"@KKK....I agree, he certainly needs a better car."

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4. Posted by Max Noble, 01/02/2023 8:31

"Can you imagine Jim Clark, or Sir Stirling Moss being referred to as a “Franchise Driver”? Being non-American it makes me think of driving the delivery truck for MacDonalds…

Is Lando a remarkable driver? Yes. Does he have a great PR front for himself, and the team? Yes. Is he a potential future champion… Probably Yes. Do any of those things make me think of him as a “Franchise Driver”… No.

Good sentiment, poor word choice…. Unless you’re speaking to Americans… oh. Wait a moment…
"

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5. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 31/01/2023 19:12

"Sign him for a long term deal before Aston Martin makes him a mega deal in '24."

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6. Posted by KKK, 31/01/2023 16:52

"He is good, but I dont think the car is good enough for him. "

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Norris a "franchise" driver, declares Brown

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