Lando Norris launched a challenge to McLaren – and the heavyweights of Formula 1 – in a frank and without restraint on the incessant will of the team to stay at the top after their fierce victory in the manufacturers 'championship in 2024. S' Expressing with a rare mixture of optimism and brutality, Norris has portrayed a painting of a McLaren who refuses to rest on her laurels and who is laser -ocalized not only on survival, but on prosperity in the ruthless world of Formula 1.
“Last year was not good enough. »»
Although they won the championship, McLaren knows that they did not facilitate the task. Norris did not chew his words, admitting that the team has created unnecessary obstacles. “We have sometimes complicated life,” he said in a revealing interview during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The message was clear: McLaren's achievements in 2024 are already ancient history. Their mission? Building a future where winning is not only possible – it is inevitable.
“One thing we have done as a team is that now we are there; We want to facilitate the task. We want to continue in order to be able to win these races easily, and not make them as difficult as they were last year, “said Norris, leaving no doubt about McLaren's thirst for a more fluid path to the victory.
A fight for domination in the tightest F1 season to date
The coming season is not only a battle – it is a total war. McLaren faces intense competition from Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes, who all aggressively refine their conceptions to get ahead of their rivals. Ferrari takes risks with his 2025 car, Red Bull finished last season with a momentum on their side, and Mercedes is determined to bounce after his reverse.
The boss of the team, Andrea Stella, has no illusions on the challenge that awaits him. He underlined the extremely fine margins in which McLaren operated last year, warning that the slightest error could prove to be catastrophic. “We won the 2024 manufacturer's championship, but the performance advantage we had was 0.04 % on average, and the point margin was 2 %,” said Stella.
“On 666 points in a season, these margins simply mean that if you are not doing better next year, then you have to be ready to face a defeat. We don't want to face a defeat. We want to continue to win. Therefore, we have to raise the bar. ”
Strategic errors that almost cost McLaren's glory
McLaren's victories last season were accompanied by a dose of drama. Strategic errors – such as choices of dubious tires in Silverstone and Monza – led vulnerable at critical moments. In Monza, leaving the door open to Charles Leclerc de Ferrari to make a strategy to a stop was painful, costing the team a victory that she could have seized.
-Even more striking was blurred communication around team orders between Norris and his rising teammate, Oscar Piastri. The indecision of McLaren allowed tensions to climb, especially in Monza, where Norris and Piastri hung on to the second chicane, giving the advantage to their rivals.
“Doing the right thing” has become a balance exercise. Although to prioritize Norris could have strengthened his chances of winning the title of pilot, McLaren hesitated to harm Piastri, aware of the long -term damage that this could cause the morale of the team.
Norris's moment of truth
Norris is also responsible. The 24 -year -old phenomenon recognizes that his 2024 campaign was not without defects. Mediocre departures in Spain and Hungary, critical errors in Belgium, and missed opportunities during direct duels against Max Verstappen revealed gaps in his game.
“I was quite close last year,” admitted Norris. “But I could feel it. I had this impression of, 'ok, that's a bit what is.' It was at hand. This year, I have to correct a few things, work on certain skills, and come back stronger. ”
Norris' determination to raise his performance is palpable. His words in Davos wore the weight of a pilot who knows that the size is within his reach – but only if he can get up at the height of the occasion.
Can McLaren transform ambition into domination?
McLaren's goal of “easily win” may seem daring in a field as competitive as the Modern Formula 1, but aiming too high could be their best strategy in a sport where to aim too low guarantees failure. Although total domination can remain elusive, the incessant quest for perfection of Norris and McLaren positions them as a force with which it is necessary to count.
While the 2025 season is approaching, the issues have never been so high. The F1 teams have learned that once you reach the summit, the only way to stay there is to fight as if you have never won before. For McLaren, the battle does not only concern the maintenance of their crown – it is a question of proving that they deserve it.
