McLaren’s Lando Norris Reflects on 2024 Success and Eyes Championship Glory in 2025
Lando Norris has expressed his determination to “bring the fight to everyone” in the upcoming 2025 Formula 1 season, confident that lessons learned from his previous title bid will serve him well. After a strong finish to the 2024 season, where he and McLaren made significant strides, the Briton is ready to battle for the championship.
The 2024 season saw a dominant start for Max Verstappen and Red Bull, but as the campaign progressed, Norris and McLaren emerged as formidable challengers. Despite ultimately finishing 63 points behind Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship, Norris played a crucial role in securing McLaren’s first Constructors’ title since 1998, ending the year with a 14-point lead over their closest rivals, Ferrari.
Reflecting on the highs and lows of the past season, Norris opened up about the emotional impact of missing out on the World Championship to Verstappen. In an interview with the BBC podcast *F1: Back at Base*, he shared, “When that realization kind of sets in of ‘it’s gone’, it’s a tough one. This is what I’ve done since I was a kid; this is all I want to do. So, as soon as that kind of candle is gone and it’s over, it hurts.”
Despite the disappointment, Norris takes pride in his performance throughout the season. “It’s been a year where, actually, I’ve been pretty proud of my performance,” he stated. “Proud of performing under the pressure that we’ve been under, delivering when I have. I’ve made my mistakes, and at the same time, I’ve learned a lot from those mistakes.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Norris is optimistic about his prospects, saying, “We have what it takes, we have a car. I believe I’m a good enough driver and I’ve got everything it takes. I’m excited to go into 2025 knowing I’ve learned a lot, I’ve improved a lot, and I’m ready to bring the fight to everyone.”
Norris highlighted that a significant increase in his confidence is one of the key assets he has developed over the past year. “Confidence is something I’ve struggled with in the past,” he admitted. “And probably I’ve only built enough up throughout this season to go ‘I’m confident that I’m a good enough driver to win a championship next year’ and I can bring a fight to whoever wants to fight me for it.”
