Mar.23 (GMM) Formula 1’s international media is already questioning whether Lando Norris is ready to become world champion.
The 2024 runner-up emerged from the winter determined to learn from his battle with Max Verstappen last year – with a re-run now shaping up as Norris finds himself in the standout car in the field.
However, after impressing in Australia and becoming the first non-Verstappen championship leader for a long time, the 25-year-old has looked messier in China.
At the very same time, teammate Oscar Piastri secured his first pole of his career.
“Piastri is marking his territory at McLaren, which is very important for him to do,” observed RTBF correspondent Gaetan Vigneron.
Norris admits the McLaren is “definitely the fastest car” so far in 2025, but he also admits to finding it very difficult to drive.
Team boss Andrea Stella admits Norris and Piastri’s driving styles differ. “I think for Lando, it (the issues) is a bigger constraint, given his driving style and the way he wants to squeeze out laptimes.
“On both fronts, the tyres and the car, there is not much we can do. We just have to adapt,” the Italian added.
Stella added that, in the sprint, Piastri “handled it better” in terms of managing the tyre wear. “But it’s also true that Oscar suffered less from dirty air,” he said.
“But somehow, when Lando tries to find the last tenths, he comes across the behaviour that I referred to earlier. For him, it actually works better when he is at 99 percent of his potential.
“As soon as he tries to get 100 per cent out of it, it works the other way around.”
The media ranks, however, wonder if Norris is already feeling the pressure of his status as 2025 favourite.
“Norris and the Formula 1 pressure,” headlined the German news agency DPA. “Not ready for the world championship title?”
Bianca Garloff, writing for f1-insider.com, agreed: “Is Lando Norris really world championship-ready?”
Sky Italia was interviewing Norris after qualifying when Mercedes’ on-form George Russell came up from behind and told his fellow Briton to “smile”.
“Norris appeared somewhere between amused and annoyed,” the reporter noted afterwards.
An article at Austria’s Kleine Zeitung, meanwhile, said: “With pole position in China, Oscar Piastri underscored his title ambitions this year.
“Many believe the Australian is more capable than Lando Norris at McLaren,” the article contended.
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