McLaren’s Lando Norris feels “the most confident” he has ever been going into the 2025 F1 season.
Norris achieved his best F1 finish yet last season with a runner-up championship position to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, during which he took four Grands Prix victories plus the Sprint win in Brazil en-route to the Constructors’ title with McLaren.
In an interview with McLaren’s official website ahead of the new season which kicks off in Melbourne, Australia this weekend, Norris felt that the pressure and nerves makes him more focused after he vowed that this year “will be my year…” over team radio after he won the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP.
“Everyone talks about pressure and nerves as a negative, but in my mind, it’s the opposite,” commented Norris. “I get nervous, but not in a bad way. Nerves make me more focused.
“They make me think of the correct things, and therefore, they make me go out and do a better job. Since I’ve been young, I’ve always performed better in those scenarios than when there is almost nothing to fight for.”
On the challenge of entering the season as constructors’ champions, Norris feels that everyone is “motivated” to defend the title, having gone 26 years without a trophy on the constructors’ side of the championship and now face higher expectations.
“The team got their first chance in 26 years to experience what it’s like to win a Championship and I think it’s made them hungrier now that they know what it’s like.
“I think it’s good to acknowledge as a whole team that there will be more expectation now, more eyes, more pressure – more competitors trying to bring you down, but everyone has kept their heads down. They’ve all been working very hard.”
The 25 year-old also admitted that he is “excited” to get the season underway but in a “calm” manner knowing that he doesn’t have more pressure, especially with the F1 title still not under his belt although he did top the first day of pre-season testing in Sakhir, Bahrain.
“I feel relaxed. From a personal side, I don’t feel any more pressure. I’m always nervous and will always be, but that turns into excitement.”
Norris also spoke of the current high confidence that he has in the team and himself and currently feels that he is the best prepared that he has been for a new season, as he gears up for his seventh season in the sport.
“This is the most confident I’ve been in the team and probably the most confident I have been in myself. It’s honestly not a big change, it’s quite small, but I feel more prepared and a more complete driver than I’ve ever been.
“Achieving what we did last year makes you believe you can do it again. That belief is what gives you the most confidence.”
Reflecting on McLaren’s success last season, Norris felt that the team had come from a long distance to claim the title with their excellent in-season car development.
“Last year, we came from a long way behind, so it was incredible what we achieved,” said Norris who iterated that a stronger start to the campaign is needed if he is to fight for the title again.
“We’re hoping to start this season off in a better way, but I don’t think anything changes too much,” acknowledged Norris on initial expectations for Australia.
“We’re still here because we want to win, we still know we want to aim for a Championship, and I think we’re confident we can start in a better way than we did last season.”
A new season however can spring surprises which is something that Norris is wary of given that he expects Mercedes and Ferrari to be more competitive, whilst Red Bull will be again in the mix but without Adrian Newey for the first time in two decades following his move to Aston Martin.
“But every season changes. We’re doing our best but anticipate good competition from our competitors. We’re not expecting it to get any easier – we’re expecting it to get more difficult to stay where we are.
“We’re the targets now, but that’s what we want to be – the guys and girls seem to enjoy that feeling. We have to look at ourselves and work on ourselves. That’s it. Keep it simple, and don’t overcomplicate it.
“A lot of people like to overcomplicate things. That’s life. If we keep our heads down, there’s nothing to worry about.”
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