Breaking: Lando Norris Frustrated by Driving Style Shift Required for 2025 McLaren
Lando Norris Frustrated by Driving Style Shift Required for 2025 McLaren
Lando Norris has admitted that he’s been frustrated by a shift in driving style required to get the best out of McLaren’s 2025 Formula 1 car, the MCL39. Despite leading the world championship standings after four races, the Brit says he doesn’t feel entirely comfortable with the new demands of the car’s setup.
Norris started the season strong with a win at the Australian Grand Prix, but he’s struggled to match the form of his team-mate, Oscar Piastri, in the races that followed. The Australian driver has already taken two wins this season—in China and Bahrain—and currently trails Norris by just three points heading into this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen, last year’s title rival for Norris, is just eight points behind in third.
Speaking to the media ahead of the race in Jeddah, Norris explained that while he’s not being told how to drive, the nature of the MCL39 means he has had to make significant changes to his usual style in order to remain competitive.
“I’m being forced in a way—not by the team or anyone else—but by the car and the situation,” Norris said. “If I want to get the performance out of it, I have to drive differently, in a way that feels unnatural to me.”
Despite his discomfort, Norris has still managed to maintain a lead in the championship thanks to his consistency and ability to recover during races. However, his recent performances in qualifying have raised concerns. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, he only managed to qualify sixth, which compromised his chances of challenging for the win. Piastri, meanwhile, delivered a commanding victory.
At the Chinese Grand Prix, Norris again found himself trailing his team-mate but managed a strong recovery to secure a podium finish. However, the repeated need to fight back from less-than-ideal grid positions has made life more difficult for the championship leader.
His struggles continued at the Japanese Grand Prix, where he was outpaced by both Verstappen and Piastri throughout the weekend. McLaren faced criticism for not employing team orders when it appeared Piastri had the upper hand during the race, raising questions about how they plan to manage the growing rivalry between their two drivers.
With McLaren showing early signs of being the team to beat this season, the internal battle between Norris and Piastri is already shaping up to be a central storyline. While Piastri seems increasingly comfortable in the MCL39, Norris is still adapting—and he knows he can’t afford to fall behind.
Both drivers appear poised to contend for the championship if the team can maintain their performance edge, but Norris’ recent admissions highlight the psychological and technical challenges even top drivers face when adapting to new machinery.
As the paddock arrives in Jeddah, the pressure is on for Norris to bounce back and secure a second win to solidify his title ambitions. With Piastri closing the gap and Verstappen lurking just behind, the margin for error is narrowing fast.
