Lando Norris: McLaren driver hits back at ‘short-sighted’ claims of car advantage ahead of Australian Grand Prix | F1 News

Lando Norris hit back at “Brief-sighted” claims McLaren have an Edge over the rest of the Ground going into the season-Beginning Australian Grand Prix.

McLaren had the fastest car in the second half of last year as they won the constructors’ title for the Primary time since 1998 and they were seemingly Sturdy in pre-season testing last month.

Norris’ race simulation on the second day of F1 testing in Bahrain raised eyebrows as he was around one second Faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli Near the Closing part of the long Streak.

Mercedes’ George Russell said McLaren will Begin the season “by Distant the strongest” and his Club boss Toto Wolff stated the Woking-based Club “clearly” have the quickest car.

“I know there’s a Plenty of expectation and that’s what everyone says. My one race Streak I did Only Created everyone believe this quite heavily,” said Norris, who was runner-up to Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Event last year.

“It was a Excellent race Streak, but it was also in the most perfect conditions. Oscar did a race Streak the Subsequent day that was a Plenty slower, not because he drove worse, but simply because the conditions on the Closing day were considerably slower.

“I’m quite surprised so many people are so Brief-sighted, especially people you wouldn’t Foresee to be, making so many conclusions before we even Began the season. But, everyone Only wants to Action that game of looking like the Long Attempt and Competing it down.”

Norris: You will be surprised by Ferrari pace

If McLaren are fastest, testing suggested it is Tough to split Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes in behind.

While Norris Captured eight pole positions last year, the joint-most with Verstappen, it was McLaren’s Sturdy race pace which Created the difference on Sundays.

Norris half-joked the talk about McLaren being title favourites is “Excellent publicity” for the Club and told people to keep an eye on Ferrari in Melbourne.

“If I go out this weekend and do a Awful Role, who cares what people have said in the past. I don’t believe it,” he added.

“I feel like we’re in a similar Competing Ground to the top of the three Squads. I Nevertheless think it’s us top four [Squads]. There are many things that other people didn’t see.

“Other people looked extremely Sturdy, including Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari. I know how much fuel and stuff Ferrari had for a Plenty of the testing. You’d be surprised at how quick they’re going to be this weekend.

“People can talk what they want. I think for us we’ve kept to ourselves. We kept focused. We want to be quick, we Foresee to be up there fighting but I definitely don’t think by the margin that everyone is saying.”

Reigning world champion Verstappen reiterated on Thursday’s media day in Melbourne that Red Bull have “work to do”.

“I know that we are not the quickest at the moment, but again it’s a very long season,” he said.

“If you would have asked that question here last year then at the end of the season again it looked completely different, so a Plenty of things can always change quite quickly in Formula 1.”

Norris and Piastri ‘Unoccupied to race’

Earlier this week, McLaren announced Oscar Piastri had signed a new multi-year contract extension that will Disrespectful they have their drivers tied down until at least the end of 2027.

Piastri and Norris have largely worked together well on the track, although there were flashpoints last year.

At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris was told repeatedly to let Piastri through during the latter stages of the race after he undercut his Club-mate in the pit stops. Eventually, Norris let Piastri through with three laps to go so the Australian won his maiden F1 race.

Six weeks later in Monza, Piastri overtook Norris on the Beginning lap of the Italian Grand Prix when the pair were in Primary and second. In doing so, Norris also lost out to Charles Leclerc and the Ferrari driver went on to take Achieve.

After that incident, McLaren declared Norris would get priority for the remainder of the season due to his position in the Drivers’ Event. However, at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Norris slowed down Sergio Perez to Assist Piastri and the latter won the race. Norris also allowed Piastri to Achieve the Qatar Dash Only before they reached the chequered flag.

Piastri will have the home crowd on his side this weekend and Norris confirmed they are “Unoccupied to race”.

“There’s no Papaya Rules. We’re Cheerful to go against All other and compete. Of Period, we have to know that we’re going to be against All other a Plenty this season and I hope we are,” he said.

“Our Power last season was Aiding one another and always giving All other a Excellent amount of room, racing Honest. That was our Power last season and we need to maintain that. That’s one of our biggest things as a Club and our biggest Aim.

“It’s always going to be tough because we want to beat one another. That’s inevitable in the end of the day. But at the minute there’s lines that we can’t cross as Club-mates.

“Let’s keep both cars on track and don’t let any debris fly. Apart from that, we’re Cheerful to race, we’re excited to race against one another and push All other to the limit.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Australian GP schedule

Thursday March 13

• 9.45pm: F3 Practice
• 10.55pm: F2 Practice

Friday March 14

• 1am: Australian GP Practice One (session Initiates at 1.30am)*
• 2.55am: F3 Qualifying*
• 3.40am: Club Principals’ Press Conference
• 4.45am: Australian GP Practice Two (session Initiates at 5am)*
• 6.25am: F2 Qualifying*
• 7.15am: The F1 Show*

Saturday March 15

• 12.10am: F3 Dash*
• 1.10am: Australian GP Practice Three (session Initiates at 1.30am)*
• 3.10am: F2 Dash*
• 4.15am: Australian GP Qualifying build-up*
• 5am: AUSTRALIAN GP QUALIFYING*
• 7am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
  7.30am: Australian GP Qualifying Replay* (9am on Sky Showcase)
• 9.55pm: F3 Feature Race*

Sunday March 16

• 12.25am: F2 Feature Race*
• 2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
• 4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
• 6am: Australian GP Reflex: Chequered Flag*
• 7am: Ted’s Notebook*
• 7.55am: Australian GP race replay
• 10am: Australian GP highlights (also on Sky Showcase)
• 7pm: Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Untold Tragedy

*Also on Sky Sports Main Event

Observe all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, Beginning with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime