Lando Norris Explains His F1 2025 Title Run Turnaround

Lando Norris has revealed how he transformed his 2025 F1 season, moving from a significant championship deficit to Oscar Piastri to now being the clear favorite. After a challenging start, Norris credits a mental reset and targeted car improvements for his resurgence.

Why it matters:

McLaren's internal battle for the 2025 F1 title has seen a dramatic shift, with Lando Norris overcoming a substantial points gap to Oscar Piastri. This turnaround highlights the critical role of mental fortitude and strategic car development in a championship campaign, especially when adapting to a dominant but specific car characteristic.

The details:

• Early Season Struggles: On August 31st, an oil leak at the Dutch Grand Prix left Norris 34 points behind Piastri, who had just secured his seventh win of the year and five consecutive podiums. Norris admitted he "certainly struggled" at the beginning of the season, particularly with adapting his late-braking, open corner entry style to the MCL39's design, which favored a more passive approach to optimize exit speed.
• Mental Reset: Norris emphasizes that his current success stems from a mental shift. He states, "I'm in this position because of the beginning of the season, like, I'm almost happier that I had a pretty crappy beginning of the year." He credits those difficult times for forcing him to become more positive and focus on self-improvement.
• Beyond Zandvoort: While many point to Zandvoort as the turning point, Norris believes the change began earlier. He felt "pretty upbeat" even after his retirement in Zandvoort, suggesting his refocusing and improved mindset were already in motion.
• Team Support: Norris acknowledges the "good group of people" around him, which has helped him maintain a more positive outlook, moving past his previous tendency for extreme self-criticism.
• Car Developments: Off-track mental work was complemented by beneficial car changes, including a new suspension introduced in Canada, indicating a combined effort to improve performance.

What's next:

Norris now leads the championship by 24 points with only three rounds remaining. Despite his strong position, he insists on maintaining an aggressive mindset for the final races, aiming for wins rather than simply managing his points advantage.

• He plans to "go flat out" and "stay out of trouble, staying out of the chaos behind," viewing pushing as a "safer bet." His mentality remains focused on winning each race, regardless of his championship lead. This approach mirrors Nico Rosberg's calculated percentage game in 2016, though Norris's strategy is to push for victory.
• Even if Piastri wins every remaining race and Norris finishes second in each, Norris would still clinch the title, underscoring his strong hold on the championship with only Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi left on the calendar. The recent dramatic shifts in the championship serve as a reminder that the situation "can also just change very quickly."