Norris reveals key McLaren mindset strategy after Verstappen title fight

Lando Norris has revealed that his "mindset" going into the new Formula 1 season is in a strong place, with the Briton avoiding setting McLaren clear expectations. 

The 25-year-old enjoyed the best year of his F1 career in 2024, where he battled Max Verstappen for the drivers' title. 

Whilst he, ultimately, fell short, Norris enters this year as the favourite to win a maiden championship.

He ended last season by dominating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, putting him in a good position mentally going into the 2025 campaign. 

Norris proved a lot to himself last season that he can compete for race victories, with the British driver believing he is now in a better place mentally than 12 months ago.

"My mindset at the minute is great, I definitely think it's different to how I was last year," Norris told select media including RacingNews365.

 "I felt like last year was a very good year for me, not just results wise, but mentality wise, approach wise. I feel like, as you guys know, I've always never been one to be overconfident with any of my predictions and those kind of things and how I've done. I've always been honest. 

"I'm definitely always the glass half empty rather than half full kind of mentality. And I've always liked to prove to myself that I can do what I want to achieve. 

"Last year, I proved to myself that I can fight against Max [Verstappen] and I can win races, and I can do Abu Dhabi and [claim] pole and qualify well and get off the line." 

Norris avoiding setting expectations

Despite being the title favourite, Norris is avoiding getting ahead of himself going into the campaign. 

It is a new position for him to be in, having never been the favourite to win the drivers' crown in F1 before. 

The favourite tag brings pressure; however, Norris is showing no signs of nerves. To ensure himself and the team start strong, he is avoiding setting striking expectations, such as winning the Australian Grand Prix next month. 

"I feel like I'm very relaxed, but in a comfortable way, in a determined way, that I feel like I can keep things under control," added Norris. "I'm not getting too nervous or too ahead of myself, those kind of things. So I'm very excited.

"I feel good about the team. But I think the main thing is I'm just calm with everything. I'm excited, but I'm calm, and I don't want to set those expectations of 'guys we have to win the first race, we have to do that', we proved last year what we can come back from. 

"I definitely don't want us to start like that, and we will not start like that, but we want to start off on the right foot to make things easier for all of us. 

"And that'll obviously change the championship fight and things like that from the off, and things will change. But I'm still in the mentality of also taking things one step at a time. And I think the team are as well."