Lando Norris can defeat Max Verstappen after David Coulthard noticed one improvement from last season

Follow us on Google Discover

The 2025 Formula drivers’ championship is currently a three-horse race, but McLaren star Lando Norris has taken the lead at the perfect moment.

Oscar Piastri started the season in incredible form, and after a difficult home race in Melbourne, opened up a decent lead in the drivers’ championship with five wins in the first nine races.

However, Lando Norris started making a comeback in Austria, winning three of the next four races before his most dominant victory in Formula 1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

He defeated his nearest rival, Charles Leclerc, by more than half a minute.

However, the driver that both McLaren drivers are keeping a close eye on is Max Verstappen.

Red Bull’s recent updates have put Verstappen back in contention, and the gap between the three drivers with four race weekends to go sits at just 36 points.

Piastri appears to be feeling the pressure as he looks to seal his first title win.

However, former McLaren driver David Coulthard has seen an improvement in Norris this season compared to his previous attempt at battling Verstappen last season.

It could be the key to overcoming the Dutchman’s ‘superpower’ and becoming McLaren’s newest champion since Lewis Hamilton.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

David Coulthard ‘really impressed’ by Lando Norris’ new calmness under pressure this season

Coulthard was asked on The Sports Agents podcast whether experience was going to play a key role in the championship battle, and he said: “Yeah, I think you’re absolutely spot on.

“The difference between Max and Lando, who’s got more experience than Oscar.

“Oscar’s in his third full season of Formula 1, and he’s got Mark Webber in his corner. Mark is a very experienced guy who has all of the hunger and frustration of coming up short in the world championship himself.

“But Max is just loving this because when he won his first world championship, I interviewed him the morning after. And you can imagine what he was like the morning after, a little bit rough.

“But he was very reflective as he sat there with his dad and went, We’ve achieved our goal. If we never win another Grand Prix or we never win another championship, we’ve ticked the box.

“Now, he’s gone on to win another three. He’s a four-time world champion. He found inner peace a long time ago, whether he sometimes looks a bit angry, and all the things that we know Max is, he lives his passion on the radio and on the racetrack.

“But I think that inner peace and experience are his superpower as we go into the final races.

“But it’s still advantage McLaren and they’re two brilliant drivers. I’m really impressed with how calm Lando has been in the face of quite some challenging races this year.

“And Oscar, we’re going to find out more about him as the pressure ramps up.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Lando Norris’ response to Mexican Grand Prix booing highlights his new mental strength

There have been two occasions this season when Norris has been booed after a Grand Prix.

The tifosi at the Italian Grand Prix were unhappy that McLaren enforced team orders, with Piastri giving up second to Norris after a slow pit stop.

Norris was booed after the Mexican Grand Prix despite his brilliant victory, with fans once again citing the perceived injustice against the Australian.

When asked about the reception he received, Norris admitted it just made him laugh, and he didn’t appear to be concerned.

He needs that level of mental resilience if he’s going to beat Verstappen and Piastri to the championship this year.