Lando Norris has fired a shot at McLaren’s Formula 1 rivals before the Japanese Grand Prix, declaring they’re the only team with “two good drivers” now.
McLaren have stormed out of the gates in the 2025 season, dominating the opening rounds in Australia and China. Norris clinched victory at Melbourne’s Albert Park, while teammate Oscar Piastri triumphed at the Shanghai International Circuit.
These results have propelled McLaren to a 21-point lead over Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, with Norris holding a narrow edge in the drivers’ standings over Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Piastri, all within 10 points of the top spot.
Despite the tight competition, Norris has said McLaren’s strength lies in their driver pairing. “I’m confident we’re strong at every track at the minute,” he told reporters.
“People have said over the last week and a half that they don’t think they’re that far away. Max’s last stint in China was very strong, not as good as us, but a lot more competitive. Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur has said they should be up there with us more often. They beat us in the sprint and outqualified us, so we’re not miles ahead.”
Norris pointed to McLaren’s duo as their trump card. “People love saying we’re ahead because we’re the only team with two good drivers right now. That’s the big difference. If one of us was struggling, you’d see a bigger gap, like you do with Ferrari and Red Bull, where Max is up front and the other driver is further back. Two good drivers pushing each other is honestly what’s making the biggest impact.”
The 25-year-old Briton didn’t shy away from the topic when pressed further, using Ferrari as a case study. With Lewis Hamilton’s recent move from Mercedes to the Scuderia, Norris highlighted the experience gap. “Ferrari’s issue isn’t F1 experience, we’re lacking there ourselves—but having two drivers who know the team inside out,” he explained.
“Lewis is new to Ferrari. He’s said openly he’s still figuring out the steering wheel’s complexity. Can he extract every last bit from the car like me and Oscar can? No, he’s admitted that.”
Norris was quick to clarify his stance. “It’s not that I think I’m much better than Lewis or Charles, I don’t, and I’d never say I’m the best. But how we work as a team, how we push each other, I do think we’re better than anyone else on the grid.”
While McLaren’s car may not always be the outright fastest, evident in China’s sprint and qualifying sessions, their drivers’ synergy has been key. “In some cases, we don’t have the quickest car,” Norris admitted. “But having two drivers who get more out of each other is a bigger advantage than people realize.”
The F1 circus now heads to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6, where McLaren will look to extend their early-season dominance over 53 laps of the iconic 5.807-kilometer circuit. With Norris and Piastri firing on all cylinders, their rivals have been put on notice.
