Now that the Lando Norris cannot \u201cwin from pole\u201d storyline is over, Zak Brown sees it continuing with Charles Leclerc.<\/p>\n
But, the McLaren Racing CEO says that statistic for Leclerc is fuelled by the Ferrari<\/a> machinery he has underneath him, and is not a reflection of Leclerc\u2019s ability.<\/p>\n Charles Leclerc win-from-pole record: Driver or car?<\/p>\n Much was previously made of Lando Norris\u2019 ability to win from the P1 grid slot, race starts having proven problematic for a time in 2024. But, the Brit has firmly banished that stigma, winning four grands prix from pole in F1 2025, as he and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri go head-to-head for the Drivers\u2019 Championship.<\/p>\n Speaking with RACER, Brown said of Norris that he has \u201cnever seen him in a better place\u201d than right now, making a playful reference to \u201ca time Lando couldn\u2019t win from pole, according to the world\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cNow that he\u2019s won four or five races from pole, no one seems to be talking about that,\u201d Brown added.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you guys should write about that.\u201d<\/p>\n At that point, Brown compared that former narrative around Norris to Leclerc\u2019s situation.<\/p>\n Ever since joining Ferrari in 2019, Leclerc has proven himself as one of the top talents in Formula 1. He has created a reputation for being blisteringly fast over a single lap, and put that on display last time out in Hungary, stunning McLaren by taking his and Ferrari\u2019s first pole position of the season.<\/p>\n Yet, as recently analysed by PlanetF1.com\u2019s Oliver Harden<\/a>, Leclerc has an unhealthy record when it comes to transforming pole into victory, just five from 27.<\/p>\n Brown believes that is very much down to the Ferrari machinery underneath him, rather than a fault of Leclerc\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause there\u2019s another stat out there from [Charles Leclerc], who I\u2019m a big fan of, who\u2019s not won that many races from pole, and I don\u2019t think that\u2019s anything on him,\u201d Brown continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s how awesome he is over a lap and maybe can carry a car over a lap that doesn\u2019t have the ultimate race pace.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s not intended to be disparaging on him at all. I think he\u2019s a huge talent.<\/p>\n \u201cBut my point is kind of a good narrative, and then when that narrative goes away, no one kind of, it\u2019s almost like the retraction\u2019s always on the back page.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I think Lando\u2019s in a great place.\u201d<\/p>\n Latest F1 2025 head-to-head standings from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates<\/a><\/p>\n The Brit will need to keep it that way as a gripping title fight with team-mate Piastri continues. With 10 rounds to go, just nine points separate the McLaren duo.<\/p>\n Thus far, it has been a remarkably harmonious affair. The collision between Norris and Piastri in Canada had potential to be the opening fireworks, but Norris quickly held his hands up, and any prospect of trouble was quickly defused.<\/p>\n