Lando Norris joked that it’s all downhill from right here after clinching his first Components 1 drivers’ championship title in 2025.
The struggle for the championship went right down to the wire on the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. A 3rd-place end was sufficient for Norris to win the championship with two factors over Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen, who completed second within the standings, whereas Oscar Piastri completed third.
Along with successful his first championship, Norris additionally received his first residence grand prix at Silverstone and the Monaco Grand Prix in the identical 12 months. Throughout a post-season interview with BBC Sport, Norris joked that having achieved all of those objectives in a single 12 months means it’s “downhill from right here”.
“They’re actually the very best runs,” Norris mentioned of his British Grand Prix, Monaco Grand Prix and championship wins. “Simply downhill from right here,” he added with a smile.
“I’d have beloved to make my life a bit simpler, successful earlier subsequent time. But it surely’s at all times extra thrilling when it goes right down to the ultimate race, last few laps. It is extra thrilling for everybody, for you guys, most of all.
“However I received ones that individuals have dreamt of successful. They’re among the most unimaginable ones. The lap I did in Monaco in quali was the one different time in all probability within the final 10 years that I cried slightly bit over one thing. As a result of there I proved myself fallacious. It was one second this season that I proved myself fallacious as a result of I had that unhealthy run of outcomes, I simply could not carry out in qualifying.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photograph by: Steven Tee / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
“Qualifying has at all times been my sturdy swimsuit. So, after I went to the toughest observe to do a qualifying lap in, I turned off my delta for the primary time that weekend so I could not see if I used to be on a greater lap, worse lap, no matter it was, it isn’t been my greatest observe prior to now.
“For me to then go there and put that lap I put in on the finish of qualifying was probably the greatest moments of my profession in a approach as a result of it was the time I virtually doubted myself probably the most ever. However that one lap, 1 minute 9 seconds, was all it wanted for me to flip all the things and switch that considered I simply do not know if I acquired this to, oh, I can positively do that.
“And that was a pivotal second for me.”
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