Norris dismisses ‘short-sighted’ claims that McLaren are favourites for Australian Grand Prix – Lando Norris has reacted strongly to the growing perception that McLaren are favourites for the Australian Grand Prix. The British driver believes that, despite McLaren’s impressive test runs, it is far too early to make definitive judgments about the competitive order in Formula 1. Norris insists that the team’s rivals will also prove to be incredibly fast when the season officially begins in Melbourne.

Following pre-season testing, many in the F1 paddock were quick to declare McLaren the team to beat. The Woking-based outfit turned heads with their strong long-distance pace, a key indicator of race performance. Unlike some teams who focus on pure one-lap speed, McLaren appeared to prioritise race simulation, fuelling speculation that they have a significant advantage.

 

 

 

McLaren’s test performance sparks high expectations

Despite this, Norris remains sceptical about the conclusions being drawn. He is keen to play down expectations, insisting that McLaren’s impressive performance in testing does not necessarily translate into race dominance.

According to the Briton, the circumstances of testing can be deceptive, and he finds it frustrating that so many have rushed to label McLaren as clear favourites.

“I know there are a lot of expectations and everyone is saying we are the favourites,” Norris told the international media. “It was just that one race simulation I did that made everyone think we had such a big advantage. It was a good run, but it was in perfect conditions.”

He went on to point out that his teammate, Oscar Piastri, ran a similar race simulation in different conditions the following day and posted significantly slower times.

“Oscar did a race simulation the next day and it was much slower. Not because he drove any worse, but simply because the conditions were much slower on the final day,” explained Norris.

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Norris criticises ‘short-sighted’ conclusions

Norris is particularly frustrated by the rush to judgement on the pecking order before a single race has been run. He believes that even experienced figures in the sport are making premature judgements.

“I am quite surprised that so many people are so short-sighted, especially people you would not expect to draw conclusions before the season has even started,” he remarked.

His frustration stems from the knowledge that test times can be misleading. Teams often run different fuel loads, engine modes and tyre compounds, making direct comparisons unreliable. While McLaren’s performance has certainly raised eyebrows, Norris insists that their rivals have plenty of potential to deliver strong performances when it matters most.

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Red Bull paint McLaren as new favourites

Interestingly, much of the talk about McLaren’s supposed superiority has come from Red Bull Racing. The reigning champions have been keen to put the spotlight on McLaren, with advisor Helmut Marko even suggesting that Red Bull are at a significant disadvantage. According to Marko, McLaren could be on course for a one-two finish in Melbourne, a claim that has only added to the speculation surrounding their form.

Max Verstappen has also raised concerns about Red Bull’s competitiveness ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. The Dutchman has indicated that he does not expect to fight for victory at Albert Park, citing concerns about Red Bull’s pace compared to McLaren.

However, Norris remains suspicious of Red Bull’s tactics. He suspects they are deliberately downplaying their own chances, while building up McLaren as favourites.

“Everyone wants to be the underdog and play it down a bit,” he said, acknowledging the psychological games often played in F1.

Despite his scepticism, Norris admits that the fact that McLaren are being talked about so much is a positive sign.

“We just concentrate on ourselves and it’s nice that so many people are thinking about us and talking about us. It’s great publicity,” he admitted.

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Expect a competitive battle in Melbourne

While McLaren’s test performances have raised expectations, Norris is convinced that the competition will be just as strong when the season begins. He believes the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari have yet to show their true potential.

“A lot of the competition looked extremely strong, including Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari,” said Norris. “I know how much fuel Ferrari was running on and you’d be surprised how fast they’ll be. People can say what they want. I think we stayed true to ourselves. We stayed focused and wanted to be fast.

His comments suggest he is preparing for a highly competitive race in Australia. While McLaren may have made significant strides, Norris refuses to buy into the idea that they have already established themselves as the dominant force in F1.

With the first race of the season fast approaching, the real test of McLaren’s pace will come under the intense scrutiny of a real Grand Prix weekend. Until then, Norris remains adamant that it is far too early to declare any team the clear favourites.

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MORE F1 NEWS – FIA last minute regulation U-Turn for the Australian GP

The 2025 Formula One season will burst into life in less than two days and already there are accusations being made that certain teams are cheating with their car designs. Flexing bodywork has been banned in Formula One for as long as anyone can remember, yet teams find ways to defeat the FIA tests designed to prove this is occurring.

Last year McLaren were accused of using flexi-wings following their first big upgrade of the year which came in Miami. The wings passed the FIA static deflection tests but it was obvious from TV footage that under the extreme loads at high speed, the wings were in fact operating like a mini-DRS.

The FIA fumbled around like blind men in the dark over the matter, something Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur was particularly unhappy about. As the summer break approached McLaren and Mercedes  appeared to be using excessive aero elasticity on their front wings too….. READ MORE ON THIS STORY