Lando Norris admitted he hasn’t felt comfortable in McLaren’s new car since the season began after labouring to third place in the Bahrain Grand Prix.
He qualified over four tenths of a second behind team mate Oscar Piastri. Despite a handful of errors in the race, including a penalty for lining up incorrectly in his grid box, Norris made his way forward to finish third.Although he retained a narrow lead in the drivers’ championship, Norris has now won fewer races this year than Piastri. Afterwards Norris said he hadn’t been comfortable in the car all year, including when he won the season-opening race in Australia.
“When you’re a driver you just know when things click, when you feel confident, when you feel comfortable,” he said. “I’m confident that I have everything I need and I’ve got what it takes. I have no doubt about that – that I’m good enough, and all of those things.
“But something’s just not clicking with me and the car. I’m not able to do any of the laps like I was doing last season. Then I knew, every single corner, everything that was going to happen with the car, how it was going to happen. I felt on top of the car. This year, I could not have felt more opposite so far.
“Even in Australia, whether or not I won the race, I never felt comfortable, never felt confident. The car was just mega and that’s helping me get out of a lot of problems at the minute. But I’m just nowhere near the capability that I have – which hurts to say.”
Norris worked late at the track on Saturday “to look into everything and understand what I’m struggling with, what’s not clicking, trying to figure out what’s changed from last year to this year,” he said.
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“Is it me? Is it some of the car? It’s complicated. But I’m not doubting myself, even though sometimes it may seem like that. It’s just something’s not gelling, something’s not clicking and therefore I just don’t feel comfortable when I’m in the car.”
“Especially when you’re fighting the best in the world. As soon as you’re not settled, then it’s going to be an issue – and that’s what’s happening now.”
Now in his seventh season as an F1 driver, Norris has always spoken candidly when he’s felt he’s underperformed. He does not believe he could act any other way.
“I think it would be even harder for me to not show any of these things,” he explained. “A lot of this – when I do my interviews and whatever – is probably just getting my frustration out. It’s just because of not achieving what I want to achieve, it’s because of my desire to do well and my ambition to win.
“When I know what I can do and what I’m capable of, and I’m not even close to reaching that – like [in qualifying] – I’m very disappointed in myself. That’s just the way I am. I’m just so hungry to win and I work so hard to win, when it doesn’t go my way, and when I mess up myself, then I’m very disappointed in myself.
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“But during the interviews and saying things I do, I don’t think necessarily have a bad impact on myself negatively. I’ve done it so much my whole life, I’ve learned how to block my own comments away from my thoughts.”
Norris admitted his tendency to be highly self-critical has held him back in the past but he remains convinced he can bounce back.
“Maybe sometimes I lack a bit of self-belief, and I have done in the past. But this is just also me. It’s the way I do things, it’s the way I work, it’s what has made me as good as I am, and probably maybe at times has limited me from becoming a better driver.
“But, like I said, I know what I can do and I’m happy. I think what I can do and what I can achieve is good enough and easily up there with the best. So I just need to get back in that rhythm.
“Yes, maybe sometimes I’m too hard on myself – like yesterday. But I came back today after a nice sleep, re-energised, new day and good to go again and put up a good fight, which I felt like I kind of did. So this was one day, today was a new day, and I have a few days off now to recover and go again.”
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2025 Bahrain Grand Prix
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BasCB (@bascb)
15th April 2025, 7:38
Yeah, it showed that he often seemed to miss the confidence to go for it during last race. I guess we’ll see in the coming races whether he finds something, or drops behind Piastri within the team.
AlexS
15th April 2025, 9:02
Well, Norris was strange in the race he went from reckless to prudent often. It somewhat reminded me of his ragged race in Austria last year.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
15th April 2025, 9:46
And he had a good start, which is also unlike him.
Ben
15th April 2025, 10:50
Hi start was dreadful! He only made positions because he cheated and started way ahead of where he should have been.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
15th April 2025, 11:07
Yes, technically he was outside the box so deserved a penalty but the stats show that his reaction time off the line was better than those around him so he DID get a good start!
BasCB (@bascb)
15th April 2025, 12:38
As Sonny Crockett mentions, Norris DID make a good start. But he ruined it before starting by moving out of the “box”.
MacLeod (@macleod)
15th April 2025, 13:32
Een with ‘cheating’ Lando had a great start and that had nothing to do with those 20cm …..
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
16th April 2025, 2:10
He wasn’t away ahead of where he should’ve been, he definitely gained very little with the wrong placement, he lost a lot more with the penalty.
Also to make it clear, I don’t consider just the getaway for a good start, but also what a driver does in the first few turns; there’s been times where norris had a good getaway, but still ended up losing places in a few corners.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
15th April 2025, 13:14
McLaren did help him more than Oscar last year, especially after they biffed it and let Max win (McLaren).
McLaren do not favor any of their drivers like Max is favored, period. If this were the case Lando would be running away with the championship, but in order to keep fans in the seats. The tried and true dichotomy must be in place.
This year it is Oscar v Lando. And like most years, one guy gets the first half of the year, and the other gets the second half of the year. This model of plot/narrative control evolved during the 2021 season as Max went on a tear, then Hamilton was allowed to catch up, but never take the title in the end. It was also observed during the Rosberg / Hamilton era when Hamilton would keep having mech issues after he caught ROS up. The woeful mech issues that plagued Mercedes were most likely due to internal management courtesy of Wolff (a major stakeholder in F1).
Lando just needs to finish every race on the podium, and as high as possible. And realize, the guys who hold the purse strings are probably more important to Zak Brown than his drivers.
Mercedes power is unquestionably the best on the grid at the moment. Ferrari have something, and Max has RBR wrapped around his finger still. Straightline performance, Mercedes will win races, high speed turns, its more McLaren. Ferrari have a chance to win races, but they need something special. RBR can still win on less power-oriented tracks, especially if setup is problematic with all the teams.
Conky
15th April 2025, 10:08
Swings and roundabouts. It’ll probably be like that all season. He done really well in the race. Consistent podiums and some wins will win the championship. Like last year, the constructors championship is maybe more important or equally important for McLaren. Expect both McLaren drivers to play it cool.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
16th April 2025, 2:12
In my opinion they should prioritise the driver’s championship this year, they just ended a 26 years streak for the constructor’s, so it’s more important to win the other title, now that they have a car good enough to beat verstappen, depending on the in-season development ofc.
The constructor’s championship seems something that should come automatically this year, given red bull’s struggles to find a second good driver and that antonelli also isn’t performing close to russell yet.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
15th April 2025, 11:20
As I said last week, VER believes he can win in any car whilst NOR hopes he can win in the fastest car. It is a world of difference. We’ll see where PIA falls but he is confident that he should win in the fastest car and drives that way.
David BR (@david-br)
15th April 2025, 13:35
@jimfromus Verstappen can believe what he likes but it’s not happening this year with the Red Bull as it’s currently driving. It’s true, though, the self-belief works and Hamilton in his title-winning prime had the same attitude. Norris exposing his own self-doubt is a weakness in this situation. Does nobody tell him this?? Sure, self-criticism can be a virtue, but letting your rivals know you don’t feel confident (unless it’s a bluff and no one thinks it is) only boosts their confidence. In this case, Piastri and Russell will be just tasting blood. It’s their title for the taking unless Norris stops trying to talk his way into or out of a championship (not even sure which). Far too many unprovoked mistakes still. Out of position on the grid? That’s just a lack of concentration.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
15th April 2025, 11:41
This was always going to be a problem when there’s two top drivers in the one team, especially when one seems to be a bit like Prost approaching things in a very calculated way.
It’s not that Lando isn’t fast, he just needs to calm down a bit and drive the thing without getting bogged down worrying about whether Oscar is in front of him or not. If he doesn’t, he may well come off second best because Oscar just settles in and drives like he’s a great chance of winning every race without getting in his own head.
Peter707
15th April 2025, 12:29
His problem is not having a top teammate, but having a top car. Norris is more and more reminiscent of Fisichella: shines in a mediocre car with low expectations, but fails in a top car with high expectations.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
16th April 2025, 2:05
Mmm, he seems a bit better to me than fisichella, he was also fast in competitive cars, like a few races where mclaren was up there with merc in 2021, but he definitely underachieved so far since he has the best car, which was true for a big part of last year too.
Zim'sF1 Fan
15th April 2025, 12:43
I actually suffered with this problem growing up in academics and sport. He just needs to drive that’s all. He reads too much in what he is doing
Dex
15th April 2025, 13:33
He’s just not THAT good, as the media hyped him. He is good. This is the most probable explanation. He has to try too hard, and since you can’t be faster than you are (the most foolish F1 expression is “overperforming”), He makes more mistakes than he should.
Drivers like Piastri, Russel, Leclerc, or Verstappen seem to respect their limits better. After all, Lando lost his F2 battle against Russel, than his first F1 battle against Sainz. He’s not perfect, or a given future F1 champion. Things would’ve been easier for him if he wasn’t British, at least in this stage of his career. Perhaps he should learn to switch off and stop reading all the stuff about him. He’s lucky to be in a fine team, and not RB for example.
Edvaldo
15th April 2025, 14:00
This guy talks way too much.
4 races in and he’s already mentally wrecked.
Nobody knows if piastri likes the car or not because if these cracks exist he’s not dumb enough to tell the media, but Norris is so keen to make excuses when he underperforms that the whole world knows he doesnt like the car.
CarWars (@maxv)
15th April 2025, 22:45
Gen Z driving F1 cars.. we shouldn’t be surprised.
tielemst
15th April 2025, 14:35
It’s clear that the car has been developed to Oscar’s liking in the off season. McLaren has chosen it’s champion and it’s obviously not Lando. You will see this trend continue and Lando will fall further and further behind during the rest of the season. It will be enough to get the WCC too as it’s enough of a dominant car for Lando to grab enough points, but the WDC will go to Oscar. I guess Lando is lucky that the rules will change at the end of the season or it would be more painful years as a second drvier.
Ferdi
16th April 2025, 6:59
And here I thought only Max was victim of this ‘car developed towards driver x’ narrative. Seems it is applicable anywhere.
tielemst
16th April 2025, 12:05
Yes, tongue was firmly in cheek while typing that :)
MichaelN
15th April 2025, 17:21
Odd to see so many negative comments about Norris.
He has always been very open and honest. Every driver will recognise his struggle. These cars are no joke. The field is close. They’re all dancing on the edge, and that’s never comfortable.
And, lest we forget, he is leading the championship. He had missed out on points here and there, but so has Piastri. Indeed, he has done worse, which is why he is behind.
David (@nvherman)
15th April 2025, 17:33
Absolutely agree. Last year Verstappen was lauded for salvaging points wherever he could. Norris also hasn’t had any particularly poor race starts this year (China Sprint excepted), which is a definite improvement compared with last season. This year you don’t watch the start of races just expecting Norris to get swamped by P2 and P3
An Sionnach
15th April 2025, 18:16
There’s honesty and there’s… he needs to say less. Everyone has their doubts, but they don’t tell the whole world about every single one. If we’re to get a McLaren champion this year, Norris isn’t endearing himself to the public. Piastri appears to be honest, too. He’s straightforward, wants to win and will take action and do things to win races. It’s hard to back the Lando we’ve been seeing. He did better in Australia by not over driving and was able to recover better when he went off. That has made the difference so far, and justifiably so. Norris has performed better overall. I don’t feel that I can believe in him more than he does, though. He needs to break Piastri’s momentum and lay down a marker this weekend.
Even the lesser champions have grabbed races by the scruff of their necks and made the difference. Greats who some might consider to have been point collectors like Lauda, Piquet and Prost didn’t just sit there and take the easiest, safest option every race. They just rarely made race-ending mistakes and were happy to maximise the smaller points when their day was compromised.
I will want the best driver to win, but I think that will be Piastri if Norris doesn’t sit up and say that he’s going to win it.
An Sionnach
15th April 2025, 18:29
I have little interest in golf, but I’ve been thinking that McIlroy is a more inspiring example of the self-doubting hero. Yes, Norris will not have as many years in his career to overcome those doubts, but the important part is that he keeps fighting back. Perhaps he did that this weekend? He kept battling away. He might not have maximised the result, but what will three points mean at the end of the season? Yes, championships have been lost by less, but if Lando can get back on top, he should win comfortably over Piastri.
We’ll see some of the problems both drivers have this season more clearly. Norris could do better shaping up for overtaking manoeuvres. This would have been clear already last year had most of the discussions around that not focused on Max being bad for not moving aside and letting him by. It’s also annoying to back a champion who has such glaring deficiencies. Piastri drives more like a champion, but was too slow last year. Speed is the most important thing and it should be the one Lando has in spades.
Conky
15th April 2025, 21:50
Exactly. Leclerc was similar for a while with beating himself up but maybe a bit worse. They all do it sometimes, even the goat Hamilton does it. Some people would rather support a cheating team with a delusional driver who loves to ram into people than a fair and honest team and driver. That says more about the person posting than what Norris is saying about himself.
Edvaldo
15th April 2025, 21:57
If that makes you feel better about yourself, sure.
Nobody cares about how he feels if he’s not performing. Simple as that. “Oh, but he’s a nice guy.” IT DOES NOT MATTER.
Do you think if McLaren were to choose between ruthless Max and Mr. Nice guy Norris, they would pick Norris? If you do you’re wrong.
Ferdi
16th April 2025, 7:04
Let’s see where it goes. At this particular moment in time he doesn’t seem to have what it takes. But he has a stellar car that can carry him and maybe he’ll snap out of it. Or he won’t..