Lando Norris is gearing up for what could be the biggest year of his racing career. After helping McLaren grab their first Constructors’ Championship since 2008, he’s got his sights set on an even bigger prize in 2025 – the Drivers’ Championship.
“I’m ready to bring the fight to everyone,” says the 25-year-old British driver.
2024 was a breakthrough year for both Norris and McLaren. What started as a season where they were expected to trail behind Red Bull and Ferrari turned into something pretty special after Miami.
That’s where Norris clinched his first-ever F1 win. From there, McLaren’s orange rockets became the cars to beat.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Despite having one of the fastest cars on the grid, Norris couldn’t quite seal the deal in the drivers’ championship. Max Verstappen made sure of that with some incredible driving, especially in Brazil.
That Brazilian Grand Prix still stings for Norris. Starting from pole position, he could only manage 6th place while Verstappen powered through from 17th to win in the rain.
“When that realisation kind of sets in of, ‘It’s gone’, it’s a tough one,” Norris admits. “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.”
But he ended 2024 on a high note. At the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Norris led from start to finish, securing the team championship for McLaren even after his teammate Oscar Piastri spun out early and finished tenth.
Now he’s feeling more confident than ever.
“I believe I’m a good enough driver and I’ve got everything it takes,” he told the BBC. “Confidence is something I’ve struggled with in the past, and probably I’ve only built enough up throughout this season.”
Looking back at 2024, Norris sees both pride and lessons learned.
“It’s been a year where, actually, I’ve been pretty proud of my performance. 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.”
With McLaren’s momentum and his growing confidence, 2025 could be the year Norris joins the elite club of F1 world champions.
