Lando Norris has slammed the “short-sighted” notion that McLaren holds an advantage over its Formula 1 rivals ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Norris’ sparkling race simulation on the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain prompted speculation that McLaren would not only carry on from where it ended 2024, as the best all-round package, but enter the 2025 season as the overwhelming favourite.
It’s a notion that McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella sought to quash in the hours following Norris’ run in testing, citing the uniquely cool conditions and the 2024 vice-champion sang from a similar hymn sheet when probed on the matter ahead of the Australian GP in Melbourne.
Norris went as far as to imply any claims from rivals or the media that McLaren arrives to Albert Park with any sort of advantage is nonsense.
“I know there’s a lot of expectation and it’s what everyone says,” Norris told select media including Motorsport Week on Thursday.
“It was really, it was just my one race run I did made everyone believe this [advantage] quite heavily.
“It was a good race run, but it was also in the most perfect conditions.
“Oscar [Piastri] did a race run the next day that was a lot slower. Not because he drove worse but simply because the conditions on the final day were considerably slower.
“So I’m quite surprised so many people are so short-sighted, especially people you wouldn’t expect to be, making so many conclusions before you even start the season.
“But everyone just wants to play that game of looking like the underdog and playing it down.
“We just focus on ourselves and it’s nice that so many people are thinking about us and talking about us.
“Great publicity for us so I thank all of them.”
Norris: Ferrari will be surprisingly quick
Amid the heavy expectations levied at McLaren, Norris said “It makes no difference if I go out this weekend and do a bad job.
“Who cares what people have said in the past. So I don’t believe it [the hype].”
Norris added that the familiar players from 2024: Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, will all be in the fight for victory in Melbourne.
“I feel like we’re in a similar playing field to the top of the three teams,” he said.
“I still think it’s a top four. But there are many things that other people didn’t see.
“Where other people looked extremely strong. Including Red Bull, including Mercedes, including Ferrari.”
The McLaren ace believes that Ferrari is a dark horse after pre-season testing and a potential “surprise” package.
“I know how much fuel and stuff Ferrari had for a lot of the testing,” he said.
“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 and we want to be quick. We expect to be up there fighting.
“But I definitely don’t think by the margin that everyone’s saying.”
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