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Does Norris really perform as well under pressure as he claims?
Lando Norris will start as the big favourite for the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Briton says that he embraces the pressure, but is he as good under pressure as he claims to be?
''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,'' Norris stated to GPBlog and others present in London, ahead of F1 75.
The fact that pressure is on Norris' shoulders also became clear that day. All teams and drivers pointed to Norris and McLaren. After all, they had the best equipment on paper in 2024 but failed to win the driver's title. Mainly because of a rock-solid Max Verstappen who, with a slower car, still stayed at the top of the standings.
How Norris performed under pressure in 2024
In that respect, Norris' statements are at odds with what he showed in 2024. Once it became clear that he had a car to become champion, he barely managed to catch up with Verstappen. So, he didn't handle the pressure of a possible world title as well as his rival.
This was best reflected in Brazil. The moment when Norris could have tipped the title race in his favour, starting from pole position However, he was unable to perform under pressure. He threw away his pole's advantages, didn't have an optimal strategy and lost more places later in the race due to his own mistakes.
Such mistakes under pressure were not Norris' first. On weekends when Oscar Piastri was faster, Norris was also prone to mistakes. Look back to the qualifying in Saudi Arabia in 2023 or last season in Belgium and Azerbaijan, where a mistake by Norris cost him and the team many points.
Horner and Verstappen analyse Norris' statement
Christian Horner's statements were, therefore, interesting in that light. He was happy that Norris will start the season as favourite: ''Sometimes it's good not to be the favourite. It puts the pressure on others. I'd be very happy to see Lando go into the first race as the favourite.''
Verstappen was also confronted with Norris' statements, but he clearly held back. ''Yes, but of course you have to stay positive. You can hardly sit and piss yourself off,'' Verstappen soberly analysed.
Whether Norris has learned from 2024, as he himself has repeatedly stated, will become clear during the 2025 season. Now Norris is the man in the spotlight from day one. Oscar Piastri is also starting his third year in F1 and will continue to improve. In addition, Ferrari was also very strong last year and with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, that team also has two title candidates. And then, of course, Max Verstappen. It's up to Norris to prove that he really is beyond 2024.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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