Kevin Magnussen snubs Lando Norris as he predicts who will win the 2025 F1 drivers’ title

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Lando Norris leads the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship with just four rounds to go, yet Kevin Magnussen does not believe the McLaren racer is the favourite to win the title.

The 25-year-old Briton is bidding to win the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time in his career this term. Norris had never finished a term higher than second before he emerged as an outside title contender in 2024, and he is now a serious contender for the crown in 2025.

Norris regained the lead in the standings from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri last time out at the Mexico City Grand Prix. His victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez edged the Bristol-born pilot above his Australian stablemate by just a point, with 357 eclipsing 356.

Red Bull rival Max Verstappen is also in the fight having, like Norris, outscored Piastri during each of the past five rounds. Four-time reigning champion Verstappen now sits 36 points off Norris and 35 behind Piastri ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in round 21 of this term’s 24.

Kevin Magnussen backs Oscar Piastri to beat Lando Norris for the 2025 F1 drivers’ title

McLaren are fully aware of Verstappen’s threat for the 2025 F1 title, with Red Bull’s recently updated floor and front wing giving the Dutchman a car capable of winning three of the last five Grands Prix. Yet Magnussen believes Piastri is still the favourite to win the 2025 F1 title.

READ MORE: Every error that cost Lando Norris points in his failed 2024 F1 title challenge

Piastri has not outscored Norris or Verstappen since he won the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August at Zandvoort. But Magnussen believes the Melbourne native can recover over the rounds in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to be Australia’s first champion since 1980.

Magnussen, who debuted in F1 with McLaren in 2014, even snubs Norris when naming the driver he would like to see win a title one day in favour of Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari star’s only title tilt so far was back in 2022, when he finished second to Verstappen by 146 points.

Magnussen told Blick: “I think Oscar Piastri will take it. And then Charles Leclerc should also win the title at some point.”

Kevin Magnussen expects Max Verstappen will force McLaren to consider team orders

While Magnussen thinks Piastri is the favourite to win the F1 drivers’ championship in 2025, the Dane expects Verstappen will force McLaren to consider imposing team orders over the final four rounds. McLaren have so far refused to name a No1 driver from Piastri and Norris.

Magnussen added: “At the moment, I wouldn’t impose team orders, either. But, at a certain point, they’ll have to be careful. Max is getting closer and closer.”

McLaren have sought to treat Norris and Piastri’s title bids equally this year, with the Briton initially the championship leader through the first four rounds before the Australian topped the table between rounds five and 19. Now, just one single point separates the papaya pals.

The Woking crew have, however, used team orders to try to protect what they believe to be fair treatment. For example, McLaren briefly made Piastri hold position behind Norris in the Australian Grand Prix to not disadvantage either while lapping traffic amid mixed conditions.

More recently, McLaren told Piastri to hand P2 back to Norris in the Italian Grand Prix due to the latter losing the place after a slower pit stop. McLaren had told Norris that he would not be undercut by Piastri if he let his teammate pit first to cover the threat that Leclerc created.

They are the clearest examples of McLaren imposing team orders during the 2025 F1 season so far, knowing that Piastri and Norris are fighting for the title. But Verstappen’s threat could yet force CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella to reconsider McLaren’s position.