Lando Norris, the current F1 championship leader, has hit out at suggestions that McLaren holds an unassailable lead over its rivals, dismissing such claims as “nonsense” and accusing those who make them of “talking crap.”
With McLaren storming into the 2025 season with back-to-back victories in Australia and in China, the reigning champions have lived up to pre-season hype as the team to beat.
However, Norris is adamant that the narrative of an unbeatable advantage – pushed by the likes of Mercedes’ George Russell – is overblown and lacks substance, urging the media to dig deeper into the facts.
Rejecting the Hype and Mind Games
McLaren’s dominant start has prompted bold statements from rivals and pundits alike, with Russell asserting before the season even began that McLaren could shift focus to the 2026 rules and still sweep both titles.
After China, the Mercedes driver doubled down, claiming McLaren’s edge surpasses the near-total dominance Red Bull enjoyed in 2023, when it won all but one race.
Norris, alongside teammate Oscar Piastri, brushed off the Briton’s comments as a failed attempt at psychological warfare.
“I think the people that say that, like the unbeatable stuff is just nonsense, and they just like to talk crap sometimes,” Norris told the media in Suzuka on Thursday.
“But, I mean, it’s your job as the media to figure out these things, I think, and not just listen to what everyone says and write what they say, you know.
“You have to try and understand what they’re saying and prove that what they’re saying is a fact, rather than I can just say a load of crap and you write it down.”
Norris insisted that McLaren’s current advantage pales in comparison to Red Bull’s stranglehold a year ago.
“So, you know, I think if you go back one year ago, Red Bull was still a lot further ahead than we are now,” he added.
A Strong Car, But Not Untouchable
Norris acknowledged McLaren’s impressive progress, crediting the team’s turnaround over the past 18 months.
“So I think, you know, we’re doing a very good job, and I feel like people are talking about us a lot more now,” he said. “But I think it’s because of where we’ve come from, you know, over the last year and a half, where the deficit we’ve come from.”
Yet, he was quick to put their current form in perspective.
“The car Red Bull had at this time last year was a lot better than what we have now, comparing to our competitors. So I think you have to take that into account,” he argued.
For Norris, McLaren’s lead is real but far from insurmountable – a point he wants recognized amid the hype. The 25-year-old also highlighted the car’s strengths while admitting its challenges.
“I think we all feel good as a team, knowing that we have a strong car, not always the easiest car to drive, but a very strong car, and the strongest car on the grid,” he said.
Unlike Red Bull’s 2023 machine, which offered both pace and consistency, McLaren’s MCL39 demands more from its drivers – a dynamic Norris sees as a motivator rather than a weakness.
Staying Hungry, Not Complacent
With McLaren atop the Constructors’ standings and Norris leading the Drivers’ championship, the team is the hunted rather than the hunter – a new role they’re embracing.
“But the target, I think, is a nice thing. Like, we’re still new to it. I mean, Mercedes had it for like five, six years, where they were the targets, you know?” he said.
“So I think we’ve got a bit of time before we get to those kind of numbers. So for now, it’s still like a motivating thing.”
Unlike Mercedes’ long reign, where complacency eventually crept in, Norris believes McLaren’s fresh success keeps them sharp.
“I think when you do it for four, five, six years, like Mercedes did back then, that’s probably at some point, it’s just only human that you start to get a little bit complacent with certain things,” he noted.
Far from resting on their laurels, McLaren is pushing harder. “But I think for us, we pushed even more into this season, to start the season off on the right foot, ending with a very good year last year,” Norris said.
“And yeah, we want to still try and increase our advantage more than what it is now. So yeah, it’s a good thing for us. And we know that people love to talk and just say things and random things and stuff.
“That’s not true, but I hope that you guys are the ones that figure out the people who talk crap and nonsense and figure out what the facts are of it.”
For Norris, the real story isn’t about invincibility; it’s about a team still hungry to grow, ready to silence the “nonsense” with results.
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Norris: McLaren ‘unbeatable’ label is just rivals ‘talking crap’ F1i.com.
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