Data prove it:

No driver here is worse than Lando Norris

Lando Norris has started from pole position four times this year.(Bild: AFP/APA/POOL/Patrick Post)

Lando Norris has already started from P1 in three Grand Prix and one sprint race this season, but has lost his position each time. Formula 1 data now shows that no driver starts worse than the McLaren driver.

In Zandvoort, Norris was once again able to beat the competition in qualifying, but still turned into the first corner behind Max Verstappen in the race. "After I lost it off the line into turn one, I was surprisingly calm. Maybe because I'm already a bit used to being at the back," said the Englishman, admitting his problems at the start.

Although the 24-year-old was able to regain his position and ultimately won with a lead of over 20 seconds, Norris will have to do better on lap one if he is to have a say in the battle for the world championship in the future. And significantly so ...

27 positions lost
In total, the championship runner-up has already lost 27 places in the first laps this year, but he has not made up a single position. No driver in the field starts worse.

Lando Norris struggles with the first laps.(Bild: AFP/APA/Ferenc ISZA)

Competition too strong
Although McLaren team boss Andrea Stella sees fewer weaknesses in his own team than strengths in the competition. "I think that, statistically speaking, we are competitive at the start of the season, but we see that there are some cars - like Verstappen, for example - that do very well at the start. So we have to look very closely at why our rivals seem to have a small lead over us," Motorsport-total.com quotes the Italian as saying.

A look at the statistics also shows that Norris reacts very quickly at the starts, but the MCL38's tire wear is significantly higher than that of the Bulls, for example. If the Papayas can solve this problem, we could be in for an extremely exciting season in 2025.