Lando Norris
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McLaren enjoyed their first double championship-winning campaign in Formula 1 for the first time since 1998 last year, but Lando Norris still thinks there are a lot of improvements to be made to the Woking-based outfit.
It was over 17 years in the making for McLaren, but they finally brought another drivers’ world title back to their Woking factory following Lando Norris’ feat over Max Verstappen last season.
It marked the Brit’s first title in the sport, and came during a year in which McLaren secured back-to-back constructors’ championships for the first time since the early 1990s.
However, not everything ran as smoothly as it should have during the 2025 campaign. Despite having the fastest car for the majority of the season, mistakes, as well as questionable team orders, from every facet of the organisation threatened to derail McLaren’s championship hopes.
Norris has identified what it is that Zak Brown and Andrea Stella need to do to find future success at the British constructor, and he is absolutely spot on.
- READ MORE: Lando Norris’ ‘driving style’ will give him 2026 edge over Oscar Piastri, claims Ralf Schumacher
McLaren top the mileage charts after Bahrain testing 🏎️
But do any of these totals change your expectations for the season? 🤔
Lando Norris identifies ‘a lot of things’ that McLaren can do better in the upcoming F1 season
During an interview on the official McLaren website, the reigning world champion identified that there is a swathe of things that his F1 outfit can work on ahead of the upcoming season of racing.
The 26-year-old said, “As great as last year was, there were still plenty of things we could have done better and want to improve on for this season – from a driver side, from an engineering side, from a strategy side, there are lots of things we can do better.
“I’m always trying to improve. I know there are areas where I am not at the level I need to be – I might be at a good level, but when you’re fighting these guys, you need to be close to perfection.
“We know where we can improve as a team and as individuals, but every season is different, and no matter how many races you have done, there will always be things that are different and new – being prepared for those is important.
“So as long as we know that and we continue to focus on ourselves, and not get too distracted by or hung up on what we can’t control, then I think everyone has the belief that we can have another strong season. It’s about working hard and keeping our heads down.”
The most notable thing that Norris mentioned was improving on the strategy side of things. McLaren came under fire for their use of team orders during several Grands Prix last year, and F1 fans regularly voiced their dismay over them after the race.
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Lando Norris has nailed his verdict on what McLaren needs to improve on after successful 2025
Through the help of a completely new ruleset, it seems like Norris and McLaren have stayed humble despite the massive amounts of success they have tasted in recent years.
Considering the early forecasts that put McLaren at the bottom of F1’s usual ‘big four’, it is even more paramount for engineers at Woking to stay focused on the task at hand rather than getting carried away with the trophy cabinet.
If Norris has any hopes of defending his world title this year, he must stay grounded. From his most recent comments, it sounds like he is doing exactly that.
Norris was praised for staying true to himself during the intense title fight that ensued last season, so it comes as no surprise to see the 26-year-old keep his feet on the ground despite etching his name into the history books.
It may not be an easy title defence for the British driver, but it will be fascinating to see how McLaren copes with the alleged gap to their rivals.
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