Lando Norris heads into the first race of the 2025 season as the favourite for the Drivers’ title, with McLaren looking like the team to beat.
Pre-season testing appeared to show McLaren was the leader on race pace, with Norris posting blisteringly quick lap times on both the medium and hard compound tyres.
Mercedes was second-best over the course of a lap according to GPS data, while Red Bull is in the mix although they did not complete as many race runs as the rest of the field.
Questions will be raised over whether Norris can deliver on the hype around McLaren, whose car George Russell felt was untouchable in the first races of 2025.
Martin Brundle has claimed one thing that fans of Norris will love when speaking on Sky Sports F1.
Martin Brundle claims Lando Norris ‘stepped up a gear’ in winter break
Norris made a lot of mistakes in 2024 when fighting for the title with Max Verstappen, notably botching starts and colliding with his championship rival.
Zak Brown says Norris has learned a lot from his mistakes and will race Verstappen differently, with him now knowing how to approach the Dutchman’s often ruthless track conduct.
Brundle thinks he has been working hard over the winter break to find the extra ‘gear’ to take him to a potential title-winning season, in what is now his seventh year in F1.
“I’m pretty sure Lando stepped up a gear and found an overdrive somewhere after the summer break and probably done a bit more over the winter. I think he’s on really good form,” said Brundle.
Lando Norris favourite for F1 title but could face challenge from Oscar Piastri
It is expected that McLaren will be the benchmark team from the first race in Melbourne, with the other teams in the top four set to catch up as the season goes on.
This means the first races of the year will be critical for Norris, who faces competition from Oscar Piastri.
Brundle thinks the McLaren pair will take points off each other, helping Verstappen to stay within reach of claiming a fifth title in a row.
READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration
McLaren has not ruled out employing team orders, with Andrea Stella saying it would be their ‘dream scenario’ if only Piastri and Norris were fighting for wins.
Piastri thinks it is ‘far-fetched’ to claim McLaren will be the only title contender, expecting to see other teams join the title fight later in the year.
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