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If Leclerc is leading the hype train, then Lando Norris is in the carriage just behind. The McLaren youngster has won four championships in the last three seasons, with his dominant march to the title in the highly-competitive FIA European Formula 3 championship in 2017 being a sign that the hype and ‘next Lewis Hamilton’ tag is justified.
Norris is nearing the top of the junior formulae mountain, with a move to Formula 2 for 2018 with Carlin giving him the chance to finally reach the summit. Carlin will be returning to the series after one year out, but with an all-new car to play with, it should not be too great a deficit.
Norris will enter the series as the favourite for the title. How he copes under the spotlight of the F1 paddock will be of particular intrigue, but if past form is anything to go by, he should flourish.
Outside of F2, Norris will be on standby for McLaren to step in should Fernando Alonso or Stoffel Vandoorne be unavailable for a grand prix weekend, and is adamant he is ready to snap up the opportunity if required.
But he focus for Norris will be making a splash in F2 and to follow Leclerc’s lead by making it a one-year stint in the series before exiting as champion.
