Many questions arose from the Bahrain tests, but also one consideration that many already agree on, which is that McLaren arrives at the first race of the season in Australia as a major favorite for victory. On the other hand, it is also true that there doesn’t seem to be the margin that Red Bull, for example, had twelve months ago, when they started the season effectively with the win already in the bag.
This is something that one of the title contenders, Lando Norris, wanted to emphasize as well. He tried not to get too carried away after the tests, suggesting that the battle for the win will involve four teams, including McLaren.
The central point, however, is that compared to twelve months ago, even at Woking, the situation is very different. A year ago, McLaren started the season trailing from a distance because the engineers had not managed to meet all the goals set for the winter, whereas in 2025, on the contrary, the British team sees itself in a very different position, with the possibility of fighting right from the front.
McLaren fighting from the start
At first glance, the MCL39 does not seem to be a revolution compared to the MCL38, which turned out to be the most complete car on the grid. However, it features many extreme solutions, particularly at the front suspension. For this reason, much of the testing was dedicated to data correlation and setup trials, followed by long runs, where there are fewer variables to hide behind.
What surprised everyone was the race simulation, where the pace was the absolute reference for everyone, although the low temperatures, as reported in the days following the test, helped with rear axle management. Before the opening GP of the season, Norris clearly tried to temper expectations.
“I know there are high expectations on us and what everyone is saying. It all started with my race simulation, and I think that’s what made everyone think that. But it was a simulation done in perfect conditions,” Norris said.
“Oscar [Piastri] did a race the day after, which was much slower, not because he drove worse, but simply because the conditions on the last day were considerably slower, so I’m surprised that so many people are drawing conclusions before the season even starts.” This point was also mentioned in our analysis, although McLaren’s references were still positive compared to the other simulations from the third day.
“Everyone wants to play the underdog and downplay things, while we focus only on ourselves, and it’s nice that so many people are thinking about us and talking about us; it’s great publicity for us. It seems like we’re in a similar position to the other top three teams. I know how much fuel and other things Ferrari had for most of the tests, and you’ll be surprised how fast they’ll be this weekend.”
“As far as we’re concerned, we’ve stayed focused on ourselves, and we want to be fast. We expect to be there fighting, but I certainly don’t think the margin that everyone is saying is so wide,” Norris then said, still emphasizing McLaren’s top-tier role.
Also different from twelve months ago is Lando Norris’ experience. At the end of the last race of 2024, over the radio, the Englishman said that 2025 would be his year too, not just McLaren’s. A clear message that the goal was to win both titles.
The battles with Max taught him a lot
“One thing I learned is that I can do it and that I have what it takes. It’s the time I’ve had the most confidence in the team and in myself. Honestly, it’s not a big change, it’s pretty small, but I feel more prepared and a more complete driver than I’ve ever been.”
It’s not just about having already won a world title, which gives you confidence that you can do it again, but also the experience gained from the battles with Max Verstappen in 2024, who has proven to be a driver who doesn’t leave much to his opponents. The Dutchman is a tough rival, probably the hardest to face in a world title fight, but you can also learn a lot from him, as Lando Norris himself admitted.
“Last year I learned a lot of things. First of all, it’s clear that I wasn’t ready to do everything we needed from a duel perspective. That’s because racing against Max is a unique situation that you can’t experience any other way until you live it,” the Brit explained, adding that if the 2024 world battle had seen him challenge another driver, he might have had a different result.
“If it had been a battle against different drivers, I’m not sure it would have been the same. It probably wouldn’t have been as difficult. Probably, that’s a fair assessment because I think Max is the hardest driver to race against. He’s always the one willing to push beyond the limits and cross boundaries as he’s done.”
“So, I’ve learned that aspect of Max. I’ve learned to understand where I was in that situation, that I wasn’t at the right level. I’ve learned from these things, and I think I’ve taken a step forward, but every situation in F1 is different. So, I can’t wait to try again and see what I can do. I don’t think I’ll only be battling Max, but also Leclerc, Lewis, Piastri, and the two Mercedes drivers.” – he concluded.
Only time will tell if Norris has truly made that extra step, but he certainly finds himself in a very different position compared to just a year ago, both as a team and personally.
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