Lando Norris remains focused on delivering a stronger performance at the 2025 F1 Miami GP, as he continues searching for more speed in the McLaren MCL39. Despite showing flashes of pace, he admitted that things “haven’t clicked” with the car so far this season.
After narrowly missing out on a podium in Saudi Arabia, Norris has found himself locked in an internal battle with teammate, Oscar Piastri as both drivers push to lead McLaren’s charge in the Drivers’ Championship.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s race, Norris reflected on his breakthrough victory in F1, which came at the 2024 Miami GP.
“It’s good memories, right? It’s stuff I dreamed of as a kid – winning and standing on the top step – and I managed to do it here, which was a cool place to do it. So just good memories, good times. Thinking back to the race, chequered flag, seeing the team celebrations – a lot of things that always bring a smile to my face. So hopefully the plan is to try and do it again.”
Norris aiming for a “good, clean weekend” despite pressure
Throughout the first quarter of the F1 season, Lando Norris has struggled to meet his own expectations, admitting that he hasn’t delivered the level of performance he believes he’s capable of. However, when asked about the challenges he faces heading into the F1 Miami GP, Norris downplayed any added pressure and emphasised a consistent mindset.
“Other competition. We feel good and confident that we’re the best, but the others are certainly not far behind and are consistently putting pressure on us.”
“One little mistake and we’re behind and not where we want to be.Otherwise, it’s just another weekend where we’re trying to improve. I’m sure others are trying to improve and try and get ahead of us, but yeah, just making sure I have a good, clean weekend.”
Norris seeking improvement after disappointment in Saudi Arabia
Norris will be especially eager for a clean weekend in Miami after the disappointment of the 2025 F1 Saudi Arabian GP. In the previous round in Saudi Arabia, Norris qualified 10th, continuing a challenging run in Qualifying that has seen him secure just one pole position so far this season. In contrast, his teammate Oscar Piastri has already claimed two poles.
When questioned about his relative lack of qualifying pace, Norris responded:
“I’m working on my things, what to improve, and trying to figure out all the things behind the scenes on what I need to do better on. It’s certainly not because of a lack of speed or ability to do so. I’ve often led the way in Q1 and Q2, but always when I’ve got to Q3, then it’s not gone to plan. So yeah, there’s stuff from the driving side and from the car side, where things haven’t clicked. But I’m working on it, and hopefully this weekend I can put it into practice.”
Upgrade timeline uncertain at McLaren
Whether Norris could benefit from an upgraded MCL39 remains to be seen. Throughout the season, Norris has openly expressed his frustrations with the MCL39, struggling to extract the performance he expects. Team Principal Andrea Stella has acknowledged Norris’s concerns and confirmed the team is working on upgrades specifically aimed at better suiting his unique driving style.
Stella emphasized that McLaren remains committed to supporting both drivers but recognizes the need to tailor certain aspects of the car to help Norris regain confidence behind the wheel.
When asked about the timeline for the upgrades and whether they would make a meaningful difference, Norris offered a measured response.
“I certainly think it will help. I honestly don’t know the exact timeline of things. There’s also a mixture of things that will slowly come and be implemented over time. But I also don’t want to rely on that myself. There are things I’m working on separately, and hopefully that’s a better fix than waiting for other bits to come. But it’s good we’re working as a team and trying to understand these things.”
Norris went on to highlight the differences between last year’s MCL38 and the current MCL39, acknowledging that adapting has not been straightforward for him. Despite this, he insisted that he continues to “keep pushing” himself to maximise his gains from races.
“It’s been clear that there have been differences from last year in how the car works, how it acts, and how I’m able to get lap time out of it and perform. So, a mixture of things. I have to be a little patient with some things – some are bigger than others – but it takes time. So I just keep my head down and keep pushing myself.”
Norris believes McLaren will be strong “through the season”
As every team in Formula 1 chases fractions of a second, progress often comes slowly—through small but crucial upgrades introduced each race weekend. However, Barcelona traditionally marks a turning point. At the Gran Premio de España, teams tend to unveil significant development packages that can reshape the competitive order.
When asked whether McLaren would join that wave of upgrades, Lando Norris struck a confident tone, stating the “not much has to change” for McLaren to remain as top championship contenders.
“This is the nice thing. You see a lot of what people say and what they speculate, but no, I’m confident not much at all has to change for us and we can keep doing what we’re doing. So like Oscar said before, I think we’ll be strong through the whole season.
“I’m confident of that. We have plenty of things we want to improve and do even better on, but others can say what they want and think what they want. I don’t mind.”
