Lando Norris demands that McLaren address ‘shocking’ weakness ahead of 2025 F1 season

Lando Norris knows there are doubts he needs to address this season. The McLaren driver enjoyed his most successful year to date, but accepts that he fell short relative to world champion Max Verstappen.

For the first time in his F1 career, which began in 2019, Norris starts the year at the centre of the title discussion. Even last season, when he ultimately bagged four wins and finished second in the championship, very few touted him as a contender.

But the pressure is inescapable this year after McLaren won the constructors’ title. These are effectively the same cars as last year – albeit with some developments – so there’s no reason to expect any major changes to the competitive landscape.

Assuming they deliver the car, the team need to improve their execution. Strategic mistakes cost them multiple victories last season, preventing Norris from putting Verstappen under much more pressure

The British driver had virtually no off-weekends when it came to his own performance, but he did perhaps lack ruthlessness at times. For instance, Martin Brundle was exasperated with Norris after he left the door open for Verstappen at the start of the United States Grand Prix.

That, then, is the situation. A driver and a team who are fast enough to take the title, but still need to develop a certain winning edge.

Lando Norris makes ‘extraordinary’ admission about McLaren’s start to the season

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris explained that McLaren’s slow start last year ‘made his life way trickier’ against Verstappen. Even after winning his first race in Miami, he was still 53 points behind.

McLaren introduced an upgrade in Florida that transformed their season. But while they mounted an ‘extraordinary’ comeback in the constructors’, Norris couldn’t make up the lost ground in the drivers’.

Norris says the team can’t afford a repeat this season. Even in 2023, they began the campaign as a lower midfield squad before scoring regular podiums from the summer onwards.

“It’s my target [to start the season strong], and it’s also our target,” he said. “The amount of points we lost at the beginning of last year in the first six, seven, eight rounds was pretty shocking.

“To go on and win a championship from that was extraordinary. That’s why it was so special for us last year.

“To come back from 50 points against one of the best, if not the best driver for a long time in Formula 1, it’s never going to be easy. It made my life way trickier than what it will be if I can start the season off on the right foot.”

Damon Hill has already made a big call on McLaren as they reveal 2025 car

McLaren have made significant changes to their car, which will please Norris. It’s risky to alter a winning package, but they couldn’t afford to stand still.

Teams in the bottom half of the pecking order will likely switch their resources to 2026 early in the season. They want to give themselves the best possible chance of a fast start to F1’s new era.

• READ MORE: Oscar Piastri has just made a 2025 F1 championship claim that will worry McLaren teammate Lando Norris

The balancing act is far more difficult at the front. Teams like McLaren will almost certainly be competing for at least one title, but they also won’t want to jeopardise their long-term prospects.

Damon Hill believes McLaren will be ‘world champions’ again this year. They debuted the MCL-39 in a Shakedown at Silverstone on Thursday.