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Norris delves into what racing Verstappen is truly like: 'He pushes limits'
Lando Norris has explained the 'unique' experience of racing Max Verstappen before the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix begins. While the Dutchman pulled ahead last season, the Englishman believes he has learned from the experience and is ready to fight back this year. In fact, he was already noticing improvements in himself toward the end of the 2024 season. On media day in Melbourne, Norris explained how he is raring to get back to racing action.
Norris is ready to challenge after learning 'a lot of things' in 2024
"I think I mean, I learned a lot of things last year. I think I learned two big things. One was, that I clearly wasn't quite ready to deliver on everything that it needed to deliver from a racing point of view. And that's just because, racing against Max is a unique situation, and you don't get to experience it in any other way of life until you really get to that point. And I think had it been a battle against different drivers, I don't know if it would have been the same," Norris explained to GPblog and others.
"It definitely probably wouldn't have been as hard. And I think that's probably a fair assessment because I do think Max will be the hardest guy to race against. He was he's always gonna be the one who's gonna be most willing to push the limits and push the boundaries like he did."
Norris: 'Never a guarantee you'll make the right decision'
"So I learned that aspect of Max. And I also learned where I stood in that situation, which was not at the right level. And I've learned from those things. And I think already into the last couple of races, I improved on a lot of those situations.
"But every situation is different in Formula One. So, even if some of them happen again, it's not always a guarantee I'll make the right decision, Max will make the right decision or any other driver will make the right decision. It's a tough one because you don't make those decisions now. You have to make them on track half a second before it happens, and that's why you don't have a lot of time to think about the whole situation."
Norris can't wait for 'another crack at it' in 2025
After over three months without racing action, 2024's runner-up is bursting at the seams to challenge once again. "I'm just excited to to have another crack at it and and see what I can do, and go up against any driver. I don't think I'm just gonna be racing against Max this year. I think it's gonna be Charles and Lewis. It's gonna be Oscar. It's gonna be both Red Bull drivers and Mercedes drivers too. You know? So, I look forward to all of the battles."
Finally, Norris made another prediction about Ferrari and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. "I think Lewis will still take a little time to settle in. That doesn't mean he won't be quick from the beginning. But, there are always things in the first races, especially when you change teams and you've been with one team for such a long time. They take a bit of time to get going. But I'm sure Lewis knows what those things are, and, he'll iron them out as quickly as he can." Norris concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Esteban den Toom
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