Lando Norris is taking a measured approach as he prepares to defend his Formula 1 World Championship at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. Despite McLaren entering the season as the reigning drivers’ and constructors’ champions, the team faces significant regulation changes that have cast uncertainty over the competitive landscape.
Many experts, including McLaren themselves, acknowledge that the team may not recapture last year’s dominance immediately. However, Norris, 26, rejects the notion that starting the season a step behind would put them at a disadvantage. “I don’t think we’re starting on the back foot,” Norris explained. “Even if you’re second, third, or fourth quickest, that’s still a very strong position. We’ve shown in previous years that you can improve a lot over the course of a long season.”
Norris understands the importance of mental resilience, especially after past experiences where early setbacks affected his confidence. This year, he plans to exercise more patience and faith in his team’s capacity to adapt and improve. “One of the big lessons from last year is not to get frustrated over a couple of bad races or a tough start. It can always turn around if you keep working hard,” he said.
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The McLaren driver remains confident in the team’s development strategy. “If we don’t start perfectly, we can still bring upgrades and major improvements later in the season to help shift the momentum. Even if we start strong, we expect to keep improving throughout the year. Our fate isn’t decided by the first few races.”
Last year, Norris celebrated a home victory in Australia after team-mate and local favorite Oscar Piastri retired from a competitive battle for the lead. Piastri, who will be eager for his first home win, tempered expectations for a repeat performance. “It would be very optimistic to expect the same form as last year,” Piastri admitted. “Testing suggests Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull have a slight edge over us right now.”
Piastri went on to highlight the fast pace of development across all teams. “Everything is changing quickly as teams bring upgrades, so we’ll have to see how things evolve. We came here last year with high hopes of something special, and while we still aim for a good result, matching last year’s performance will require finding that extra bit of speed.”
As McLaren navigates the new season, Norris’s calm and pragmatic outlook embodies a focus on steady progress over immediate glory, holding firm to the belief that a long, challenging season is still theirs to shape.