Lando Norris makes big declaration after surprise McLaren launch

Lando Norris has said he is in the “best shape I’ve ever been, both physically [and] mentally” ahead of the F1 2025 season.

combined with team-mate Oscar Piastri to win the Constructors’ title for McLaren last year, and finished as runner-up to Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings.

Lando Norris: ‘I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been’

surprised the Formula 1 world by unveiling its 2025 challenger, the MCL39, on Thursday with a shakedown run at Silverstone – masked by a camouflage livery before the full reveal at London’s O2 Arena on February 18.

While second place in the Drivers’ standings represents Norris’ single best season in Formula 1, alongside earning his first career Grand Prix victories, he admitted to making mistakes in his pursuit of Red Bull’s Verstappen in 2024.

But having had time to recover ahead of the new year, alongside proving to himself he can compete with the best in Formula 1, Norris believes he can approach the year in a “quietly confident” state.

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the day before McLaren unveiled the MCL39: “I am. I’ve always been a guy who never wants to believe in hype of things, or I’m always kind of a ‘seeing is believing’ kind of guy, especially when it comes to things that I’m doing personally.

“So, proving to myself last year that I can go and win races, and I can dominate a weekend, and I can fight against the best in the world, I needed to prove to myself that I was capable of doing that, and I did it last year.

“I’m definitely not saying I did it perfectly, and I did make mistakes. I think I had my fair share of mistakes and errors, but I’m happier I’d had it last year, and I can come into this year kind of confident.

“I would say I’m confident, which is a rare thing for me to be – definitely not overconfident, I’m definitely not like ‘I’ve got this and I’m going to nail everything’ – but I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been, both physically, mentally and everything, and I think we are as well as a team.

“I think the expectation is there, but the determination is also there. So I’m relaxed, I’m excited, but quietly confident too.”

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