Lando Norris says he is more excited than ever before when he gets behind the wheel knowing he is now fighting for wins, writes Scott Hunt from PA. 

The 24-year-old earned his maiden Formula One victory at the Miami Grand Prix and has secured three other podiums in an impressive start to the season for McLaren.

Norris is now expected to challenge for the podium on a regular basis and admits that expectation brings an excitement.

“I am more buoyed than ever. Still relaxed, maybe I don’t look it at times!” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.

“When I am in the car I’m more excited because that is when you are feeling what the potential is.

“Just now I am as relaxed as normal but I am fighting for a lot more than I was fighting for at any point before so naturally there is always going to be a little bit more nerves, but I don’t think it has got to a point where it affects me.

“I’m not thinking of it at all. It is not a level that I even acknowledge.”

McLaren have remarkably not scored any points at the Canadian Grand Prix since Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen finished in the top 10 in 2014.

Last season Norris finished 13th, with team-mate Oscar Piastri 11th, in the race before McLaren’s big upgrade in Austria which dramatically changed their fortunes for the rest of the 2023 season and the start of this campaign.

A year on, McLaren arrive at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as potential race winners.

“All races at the minute are close and there’s a chance to win. It is nice knowing that and cool knowing that,” Norris added.

“Every race you have a chance and that’s a better feeling than coming in last year trying to make the top 10.

“You feel good about that but it is too close to say we are going to be first or sixth, it could be either or.

“I have not been top 10 since I raced here. I think I have DNF’d most times. We have had fires, technical issues etc.

“I have always loved it here. I’ve always performed well around here but been a bit unlucky and things haven’t gone our way.

“This weekend is the weekend!”