After a summer of promise, Lando Norris’s faint bid for the 2024 Formula 1 title faded as McLaren shifted focus to securing the Constructors’ Championship. The standout performer in the latter half of the season, Norris, clinched eight pole positions—proving the dominance of the McLaren MCL38. Heading into 2025, many believe Norris and McLaren are primed for even greater success.
McLaren’s Edge in 2024
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix underscored McLaren’s superiority, as Norris claimed pole position and eventual victory, with teammate Oscar Piastri joining him on the front row. The MCL38 showcased remarkable pace, holding an advantage of up to half a second over the competition in race trim. This performance gap positions McLaren as the team to beat in 2025, the final season under the current technical regulations.
The key to their dominance? McLaren’s ability to maximize the potential of their infrastructure and personnel, evolving the World Champion-winning MCL38 chassis for another year of supremacy.
Herbert’s Advice for Norris
Former F1 driver and FIA steward Johnny Herbert believes the pieces are in place for McLaren and Norris to deliver a championship-winning season. However, he notes that Norris needs to refine his racecraft to capitalize fully on McLaren’s advantage.
“All Lando has got to do is use his elbows a little bit more, and he will be the complete driver,” Herbert said. “Oscar maybe won’t help his teammate. Lando has learnt his lessons and has that ultimate speed, which Oscar might not have shown consistently this year.”
Herbert suggests that Norris’s 2025 campaign could echo McLaren’s golden eras, likening it to the team’s dominance with Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and Ayrton Senna in 1991.
2025: A Defining Year
With regulations stable through 2025, McLaren’s chances of sustaining their momentum are high. Herbert believes this presents the team’s best opportunity to secure both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles before the sport undergoes a radical transformation in 2026.
“2026 is all too up in the air with the new developments. There is no reason, though, why McLaren can’t keep their momentum going. They have a very good infrastructure, one of the best in F1, and a great mix of people throughout the team.”
Oscar Piastri: Wildcard or Challenger?
While Norris is tipped as McLaren’s best hope for a drivers’ title, Oscar Piastri has shown flashes of brilliance, securing multiple podiums and a maiden win in 2024. However, Piastri’s consistency has been questioned, leaving Norris as the likely lead driver in the championship fight.
Herbert warns that intra-team dynamics could complicate McLaren’s plans. If Piastri steps up his game, McLaren might find themselves managing a rivalry reminiscent of Senna-Prost—a dynamic that could define the season.
A Glimpse of McLaren’s Glory Days
McLaren’s dominance in 2024 has sparked comparisons to their golden years, with many drawing parallels to their championship-winning campaigns of the 1980s and ’90s. The team’s resurgence under the current regulations offers a tantalizing prospect: Norris standing tall as McLaren’s first Drivers’ Champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.