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Lando Norris Fires Warning Shot: McLaren Must Stop Verstappen from Controlling the 2025 Title Battle

Carl Smith by Carl Smith
February 16, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 5 mins read
0
Verstappen Shuts Down Norris Feud: ‘No Time for Trash Talk, Let’s Focus on 2025’

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 08: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren talk prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202412080092 // Usage for editorial use only //

Lando Norris is done playing catch-up.

After a breakthrough 2024 season that saw him finish runner-up to Max Verstappen, the McLaren star is laser-focused on one thing in 2025—winning his first Formula 1 championship.

But to do that, Norris insists McLaren must prevent Verstappen from controlling the narrative like he did last season—where the Red Bull driver’s aggressive tactics and massive points lead allowed him to sacrifice individual races for the greater title picture.

And for Norris, that’s a luxury he can’t let Verstappen have again.


Verstappen’s 2024 Playbook: Using the Points Lead as a Weapon

Verstappen may have dominated the Drivers’ Championship, but as McLaren surged mid-season, Norris became a genuine threat—leading to multiple on-track clashes between the two.

  • Austria: A high-stakes battle for the lead ended in contact, with Norris retiring and Verstappen escaping unscathed.
  • Austin: Norris lost a podium spot after exceeding track limits trying to pass Verstappen.
  • Mexico: Verstappen forced Norris wide, knowing the McLaren driver couldn’t afford a DNF, while he could.

The pattern was clear: Verstappen, with a massive points cushion, could afford to race with a “win at all costs” mentality—while Norris couldn’t.

“I don’t want to go through all of these things again,” Norris admitted.
“Like we saw in Mexico, [Verstappen] very willingly sacrificed himself for the benefit of the overall outcome.”

And that’s exactly what Norris is determined to prevent in 2025.


The Key to 2025? Starting Strong & Taking the Fight to Red Bull Early

Norris isn’t making excuses.

He knows that, in the early part of 2024, he simply wasn’t at Verstappen’s level in wheel-to-wheel combat.

“There’s some things where I just didn’t do a good enough job,” he admitted.
“I wasn’t simply quite at the level that I need to be to race against Max.”

But by the end of the season, he felt he had made progress—and now, the biggest change for 2025 has to be getting off to a better start.

“What’s the main thing that’s going to change this year? I just need more points from the beginning, and hopefully, it’s the other way around,” Norris said.

The goal? Flip the script.

  • If Norris takes an early lead, Verstappen won’t be able to use the same aggressive tactics without risking his own title defense.
  • If Norris is ahead, it’s Verstappen who will have to be cautious in wheel-to-wheel battles—not the other way around.

“The mentality of every driver changes depending on whether they’re ahead or behind,” Norris noted.
“It will be a different mentality for Max if he’s 50 points behind versus 50 points ahead.”

And that’s exactly what McLaren needs to exploit.


Norris: “I Take It on the Chin—Now I Need to Do a Better Job”

Norris isn’t hiding from his mistakes.

In fact, he’s brutally honest about the fact that, at times, he “looked silly” against Verstappen.

“I know I wasn’t at the level that I needed to be at when I first went into those battles,” he admitted.
“That was clear. And I take that on the chin.”

But the difference in 2025? He’s not making those same mistakes twice.

  • He’s learned from Verstappen’s tactics.
  • He’s grown in confidence with McLaren’s pace.
  • And now, he’s ready to take the fight to Red Bull from the first race.

“As long as I learn from them and don’t make the same mistakes multiple times, that’s the way it is,” Norris said.
“I need to do a better job.”


Can McLaren Put Verstappen on the Back Foot in 2025?

Lando Norris isn’t just aiming for more race wins this season—he’s aiming to take control of the title race early and force Verstappen into an uncomfortable position.

If McLaren’s 2025 car is strong from the opening rounds, Norris won’t be playing catch-up this time—he’ll be dictating the pace.

And if that happens?

For the first time in years, Verstappen might find himself under pressure in a championship fight.

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