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Norris still 'want to feel they are the underdogs' against Verstappen
Unlike the previous season, after winning the constructors' title the season before, McLaren enter the upcoming campaign as favourites to claim both titles. However, Lando Norris still thinks McLaren want to feel like 'underdogs' entering the 2025 season.
Norris still sees McLaren as the underdogs in F1?
When asked about how McLaren would handle not being the underdogs anymore entering the 2025 season. Talking to GPblog among others at the F1 75 Live event, Norris began: "As much as we want to believe we're the best, I guess we still want to feel like we're underdogs."
The Briton then continued about the added pressure his squad now have to deal with as well. "We have a lot to fight for and try to improve at every minute of every day. And of course, there's going to be more pressure. There's more pressure on the whole team. And I guess every individual in the team, that's over a thousand people, everyone's going to think of it. They're going to think, wow, we did it last year. There's going to be more eyes on us."
'Pressure is good' says Norris
"We all know it. We've acknowledged it. We accept it. That's including myself. I know coming into this season that for a lot of people, I'm the favourite and that kind of thing. And as a team, we're the favourites. But I think I've said in some interviews over the last month or so or a few weeks that a lot of people think that pressure is a bad thing. But for me, it's really the opposite. It's a good thing."
"I've always done much better under pressure. I'm able to think and to focus much more under pressure," he continued confidently. "Everyone has their own way of doing things, and I've said that many times. But I still get nervous, and I feel pressure, and I know it's there. But my best performances have often come when that is around. There's more eyes. There's more expectation on me to prove I've stepped it up again from where I did last year," he explained his feelings.
On fighting against Verstappen in 2025
Over the 2024 season, Norris and Verstappen locked horns on multiple occastions. The Briton believes he needs to do better in that regard, but also sees more rivals emerging. "I had a good year, but it was clear I needed to improve in many areas, especially my fighting against Max and other things. But I'm not going to be just fighting Max this season. I'm going to be fighting this guy on my left [Piastri] and probably many other drivers. But, yeah, I have to make sure I'm ready to fight against everyone and to step it up, and I feel ready to do so. So I'm excited to perform under pressure."
This article was written in collaboration with Nicole Mulder
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