Norris: « People keep saying we’re the fastest, blah blah blah! »

After the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Lando Norris disputed the idea that McLaren currently dominates the field, despite the Woking team winning four of the first five races of the 2025 season. The British driver, who finished fourth in Jeddah after starting from tenth position, insists that the rivals are just as fast as McLaren.

« I don’t know why people are so surprised, they are just as fast in most sessions, they are just as fast as us in the race. Just because we are fast in practice, people keep making up all this c****. », said Norris on Sky Sports F1 after the race. For the Briton, the hierarchy remains tight, and the margin between the leading teams is much finer than raw results suggest.

Statements made while McLaren clearly dominates the constructors’ standings, with a 77-point lead over Mercedes and nearly double that of Red Bull. A significant gap that the British driver nevertheless refuses to see as an indication of the British car’s undeniable superiority over the other competitors.

Strategy or reality?

Norris also offered insight into McLaren’s approach during race weekends, suggesting that the team shows more of its potential right from the free practice sessions, unlike its rivals.

« People keep saying we’re the best, the fastest, blah blah blah, but it’s just because we show a bit more pace in practice, and then we have nothing left for qualifying. But that’s our way of doing things, » Norris explained. « That’s how we feel it, we optimize things. If we didn’t do it this way, we’d be even further behind. So no, I’m happy with the work we’re doing. People just need to adjust their expectations: we have a great car, probably the fastest on average, for sure, but clearly, it’s not enough. » But at McLaren, not everyone sees things the same way.

Piastri nuances Norris’s remarks

Lando Norris’s point of view is not fully shared internally. His teammate Oscar Piastri, winner in Jeddah and now the leader of the drivers’ championship with a ten-point lead, sees things differently.

When it was reported to him that his teammate suggested Red Bull had the fastest car in Jeddah, Piastri clearly expressed his disagreement: “No. I think our car was still faster. It was difficult to be in dirty air. Max was faster than I expected, for sure, in the race.”

The Australian acknowledges, however, that McLaren’s advantage varies depending on the tracks: “I think our car remains very good, but when we compare this circuit to Suzuka, it’s the most similar we’ve encountered so far, and those are precisely the two places where Max and Red Bull have been the closest. We still have an advantage, but it’s less pronounced on tracks like this one. That said, the car remains very competitive,” he stated.

The Red Bull threat still present

Despite McLaren’s repeated successes, Max Verstappen’s performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix proved that Red Bull remains a formidable force. The Dutchman, who finished just 2.8 seconds behind Piastri despite a five-second penalty for cutting the first corner, impressed the two British team’s drivers.

Lando Norris did not hide his admiration, emphasizing: “I think Max was probably the fastest on track if he hadn’t had that penalty. It means we still have work to do.”

For his part, Oscar Piastri, while noting the overall advantage of McLaren, admitted to being surprised by the pace of the four-time champion: « Max was faster than I expected, especially in the race. In qualifying, it wasn’t a big surprise, but in the race, I didn’t expect to struggle so much at the end of the stint with the Medium tires. So clearly, we have work to do. »

Qualifying, Norris’s Achilles’ heel

Leading the drivers’ championship, Oscar Piastri now has 99 points, closely followed by Lando Norris with 89 points. Max Verstappen, for his part, is just two points behind the Briton.

For Norris, the challenge also lies in improving his performance in qualifying. After his fourth place in Jeddah: “It’s a shame to miss the podium, we weren’t far off. I’m generally satisfied, but I make things a bit complicated for myself, especially in a race like that. It would have been much simpler to be driving at the front. In a way, it’s a bit easier. So I have to help myself a bit and have better Saturdays,” he admitted.

The rest of the season, especially with the upcoming European races, will be crucial to see if McLaren can maintain its lead. The next events, starting with Miami, where Norris won in 2024, should provide answers on the true hierarchy among the top teams and either confirm or refute the Brit’s statements regarding the competitiveness of his rivals.