Lando Norris draws his conclusion of the 2024 Formula 1 season: For him, Max Verstappen was no longer catchable after the season started – McLaren 2025 immediately in the music?
Lando Norris takes stock after the Las Vegas Grand Prix: Even with a perfect season, he would not have been able to challenge Max Verstappen for the title. In an interview after the race, the McLaren driver explains that Verstappen’s consistency and flawless driving style were the keys to his success. The Dutchman showed hardly any weaknesses, even under pressure.
“He deserved it. He really didn’t make a mistake,” Norris said of the world champion. Verstappen, who had already secured his fourth consecutive title before the season finale in Abu Dhabi, once again showed his impressive class in the 2024 season: even with some less competitive material, he often remained in the leading group.
Norris is clear: “Even when he didn’t have the fastest car, he was always right behind us. I think his worst race was a fifth place – that’s extraordinary,” emphasizes the McLaren driver, who also says that even without any mistakes, the title in the drivers’ championship would not have been possible for McLaren.
“Could we have done some things better? Absolutely. Do I think we could have won the championship even with a perfect season? I don’t think so. That’s why I would still be satisfied with a second place, because otherwise no one fought against him.”
McLaren: Strong, but not strong enough
Even though McLaren made progress over the course of the season, according to Norris, the deficits from the early phase of the season were ultimately too great. Over the first five race weekends, the Brit lost 52 points to Verstappen, who even had to write a zero in Australia. From the sixth race of the season in Miami to Las Vegas, the Dutchman was able to stabilize his lead at 63 points and secure the title early.
“At the beginning, we were only the fourth-fastest team, Red Bull never had this weakness,” explains Norris. After the great success of a major McLaren update in Miami, he managed to celebrate his first Formula 1 victory, followed by two more race wins and a few pole positions. And although the McLaren appeared to be the more consistent and faster car from May onwards, Norris admits that Red Bull was simply more experienced in the title fight.
“Part of it is experience,” says Norris when asked what he can learn from this year. ”I think if we had a better car at the beginning of the year, we would have fought with him a lot more and he would have been under a lot more pressure. We put him under pressure and he and the team made mistakes, but over the course of the season, there were very few.”
“He never had a bad qualifying. He didn’t have a single bad race. I think his worst race was probably in Budapest or something like that? And he still came in fifth. He just gets the most out of the car every time. And that’s always impressive to see. There’s always something to learn.”
Norris: McLaren competitive from race one in 2025
However, Norris is optimistic about 2025: McLaren has created the basis for a competitive car: “We are going into next year with a car that we believe can challenge for the championship from the first race – we haven’t had that in the last six years,” he says confidently.
Norris is impressed by Verstappen’s abilities, but he sees himself as more than capable of competing with him on equal terms: “Max is probably one of the best drivers to ever race in Formula 1. Racing wheel-to-wheel with him is fun,” says Norris. For 2025, he intends to challenge the Dutchman even more.
“I know deep down that I can do it, and I will do everything I can to make life harder for him next year,” but to seriously beat the reigning champion, McLaren would have to step it up a notch.