Lando Norris is considered to be the favourite for the Formula 1 title in 2025 after showing vast improvements on track last season.
He claimed his first victory, helped McLaren end a 16-year championship drought and ran Max Verstappen close for the Drivers’ crown.
Verstappen thinks he handles pressure better than Norris but the Brit was faultless at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when losing a position would’ve cost his team the Constructors’ Championship.
Red Bull were pegged back by grey areas in 2024 and it means that they are unlikely to start the next campaign with the fastest car.
It’s unfamiliar territory for a team that has managed to build a gap in each of the last three seasons of the current technical regulations.
It provides an opportunity for Norris to be the one with an advantage at the front if he takes what he has learned so far in his career and applies it to produce some positive results.
Lando Norris has made a ‘very noticeable’ attitude change ahead of 2025
At times during the first half of the 2024 Formula 1 season, the Brit was particularly harsh on his performances if he wasn’t satisfied.
One McLaren engineer noticed a massive change in maturity from Norris which shows why he may be ready to fight for a title soon.
READ MORE: McLaren warned to ‘be careful’ over call that could compromise Norris and Piastri
James Hinchcliffe agrees with that sentiment and says that he noticed a change in the Brit’s approach to his racing.
“It’s self-belief, and if you look at how Lando would talk about Lando in the first half of the year, versus how Lando would talk about Lando in the back half of the year,” he told the Red Flags podcast.
“There’s a very noticeable difference. Every athlete is very hard on themselves. Lando was publicly so hard on himself and in the second half of the year you didn’t hear that.”
Why Lando Norris has to win an F1 title in 2025
2025 could be the last year that McLaren has a car that is capable of competing for a championship in the hands of Norris and Oscar Piastri.
With a rule change to come into force with the 2026 F1 regulations, the field could completely change overnight leaving them back at square one.
It may be a very unlikely proposition, but it adds extra importance to the upcoming season and they’re going to want to take advantage of the great car they have.
READ MORE: The F1 rule change that could hurt Lando Norris and McLaren during the 2025 season
Red Bull are behind them, Lewis Hamilton needs time to get up to speed with Ferrari and Mercedes have a rookie in their ranks.
With a consistent driver pairing, they’re in the best position to deliver and failing to do so would add pressure to everyone at the team heading into 2026.
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