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Norris identifies a 'vulnerability' at McLaren despite 2025 dominance

10:26, 03 Jun

byOlly Darcy

Lando Norris believes McLaren are still "vulnerable" in 2025, saying the gaps between themselves and their rivals were "bigger at the beginning of the year".

After winning the 2024 constructors' title, their first since 1998, the British team have continued on their upward trajectory, showing superb pace that has been unrivalled at many Grands Prix in 2025.

As a result, the papaya-coloured team has jumped out to a 197-point lead, sitting on 362 points, while Mercedes only has 165 in second place. Teammate Oscar Piastri leads Norris by ten points in the drivers' standings, with Max Verstappen 39 points behind Norris in P2 after the Grand Prix in Barcelona.

Norris took his second win of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix to bring the gap between himself and Piastri to three points, but the Australian's fifth win of the season increased his lead to ten points.

Norris still keeping his feet on the ground

The one-two around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya highlighted the dominance that McLaren has had over the rest of the grid so far in 2025. But is there any worry that there may be some track where the MCL39 is not as fast?

"I hope not!" laughed Norris during Sunday's post-race press conference in Barcelona.

"The team are doing a very good job. We have a lot of good competition. There were a lot of complaints about our car, and they introduced this TD and changed nothing. The team have done a very good job of just giving us a good all-around car and the best car on the grid. So, we’re very proud to be able to go and drive those cars every weekend. So, it’s credit to the team that we have to give day in and day out."

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"But there are still places where we’re vulnerable, especially in qualifying, as it gets very close," continued the Brit, explaining that there are still some things to keep an eye on as the season continues.

"Obviously, yesterday was the biggest margin of the year, but I think people seem to quickly forget how close the other qualifying sessions have been. They’ve been split by hundredths and thousandths, and there hasn’t been smooth sailing for us in every single one. So, I think that will be the case in future ones.

"But it’s clear we just have the best car on average, and we still seem stronger in the race. Although, it’s also clear that the others are catching up. Our gaps in the race were probably a lot bigger at the beginning of the year than they are now. So I do think that our competitors are catching up. We just need to keep our heads down and keep working hard," concluded Norris.