Lando Norris remains convinced that McLaren can still mount a serious challenge for the world championship when the Formula 1 calendar picks up again after the Miami Grand Prix. Even though Mercedes and Ferrari have enjoyed a stronger start to this new era of the sport, Norris says the team’s resolve is intact and the season is far from decided. The British driver, who entered the year as the defending champion, has yet to stand on the podium in the opening three rounds of his title defence. His teammate Oscar Piastri, however, managed a second‑place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix and could have taken the win if a late safety‑car period had not intervened during a promising McLaren charge.
That brief glimpse of competitiveness gave the squad a taste of what is possible, but the early part of the campaign has been frustrating for a team that expects to fight at the front. Now, with the mandatory April break behind them, McLaren – like every other outfit – has almost five weeks of uninterrupted time in the factory to analyse data, develop parts and address the reliability glitches that have plagued both the chassis and the Mercedes power unit. Norris believes this window provides a genuine opportunity to reverse the current trend and get back into contention.
"I think we can still have a good season, even if we’re not where we want to be right now," Norris said, acknowledging that he trails the early championship leader, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, by 47 points. "Just because the start hasn’t gone our way doesn’t mean we abandon the fight for the title. Giving up and looking only to next year never works for a champion mindset." He pointed to several historical examples where teams have stumbled in the opening rounds but finished strongly. "In 2023 and 2024 we were not where we wanted early on, yet we ended the year in a much stronger position.
The team is even better now than it was then," he added. Norris emphasized that McLaren has learned from past setbacks and is prepared to apply those lessons again. "We’ve been there, done it, learned from it, and I trust this team knows how to do it again. There’s a lot of hard work ahead, but we’re ready for it." Norris also highlighted the importance of solving the reliability issues that have hampered both the chassis and the Mercedes‑supplied power unit.
While the situation is not catastrophic, the team must close the performance gap if they hope to fight for victories each weekend. "We need a car that can win every race, not just be competitive on certain tracks," he explained. A key factor, according to Norris, is maximizing track time. "Early on we realised that getting laps in the car and putting them on the data board is essential for learning how to extract the most from the package, especially the power unit.
Tiny margins make huge differences. Missing the opening practice session in China and not having enough track time in Japan have left us at a disadvantage," he said. To make up for the lost minutes, McLaren is using the break between Japan and Miami intensively.
The team is spending countless hours on the simulator, analysing every data point, and even returning to the Nürburgring for a tyre‑testing session. Although the test focused on next‑year tyre specifications, Norris believes that any time behind the wheel is valuable. "The more we drive, the better we understand the car’s behaviour, and that knowledge feeds directly into our development program," he noted.
Piastri echoed his teammate’s optimism, asserting that the squad can return to regular podium contention over the remaining 19 races. "We have a lot of work to do to be back at the front consistently, but narrowing the gap to Mercedes and out‑developing the rest of the field is something we can control," the Australian driver said.
He added, "This team has shown it can turn things around, and we’re starting from a stronger position than we have in previous years, such as 2024. I have complete confidence that the team will do everything possible to get us there, and I’m genuinely excited to see what we can achieve together." The next opportunity for McLaren to test its progress will come at the Miami Grand Prix, which also hosts the season’s second Sprint weekend from May 1‑3. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a contract, cancelling at any time.
Norris and Piastri will be looking to translate the work done in the factory and on the simulator into on‑track performance, hoping to close the points deficit and re‑establish McLaren as a genuine championship contender. In summary, while the early season has been challenging, both drivers stress that the championship is far from over.
With a focused development programme, increased track time, and a clear belief in the team’s ability to adapt, McLaren aims to revive its title aspirations and prove that perseverance, rather than resignation, defines a champion’s approach.