Lando Norris claims he ‘has what it takes’ to make a stronger Formula One title bid in 2025

Lando Norris believes he now “has what it takes” to win titles in Formula 1 admitting he “wasn’t ready” to face Max Verstappen earlier this season.

Norris took advantage of McLaren’s mid-season emergence as a pace-setter to become a leading contender in Verstappen’s bid to retain the championship.

But although he managed to close the gap to 44 points during the weekend in Brazil, Norris’s plight to sixth when Verstappen won the main race all but ended his chances.

The Briton’s mistaken exit at Interlagos was the latest time he and McLaren were left to rue a missed chance to deny Verstappen an advantage.

Norris admitted that begging for such opportunities this season showed he and McLaren were not performing at the level required to beat a driver like Verstappen.

“There are times when we as a team have not performed at the level that we should have performed at as a World Cup winning team,” Norris told media outlets including Motorsport Week V Las Vegas.

“But there were also a lot of times where I didn’t perform at the level I needed to perform at to win the championship.

“Perhaps I was not fully prepared to go against Red Bull and Max. I think so, and it’s probably too late to do so.

“Maybe there were other drivers in the past who were prepared for such an event.

“But no one has come against Max so early in his career, in the middle of the season, and put up, I think, a completely reasonable fight.

“I mean, I’m there, but no one else is doing it, you know. I did everything I could. I didn’t do a good enough job. And I have always admitted this.

“I think Max is probably one of the best drivers to ever compete in Formula 1. And I think you’ll probably get a much better driver again than Max ever raced in Formula 1.

“This is my opinion, but this is what I believe.

“And for me to go against that belief, to fight a man that I know is so good, it takes a little bit more than what I’ve probably accomplished this season.

“But I think what I did after the summer break is closer to where I need to be. And I think that’s enough to fight for it next year.”

Lando Norris is ready to lose to Max Verstappen

Norris is now at a level to challenge for the title

However, Norris believes what he has achieved since the summer break is up to the standard he must achieve in 2025 to guarantee a stronger title bid.

Asked what he took away from the campaign, Norris, who helped McLaren lead the Constructors’ Championship, replied: “That I have everything I need.

“I think for the first time in the last six years in Formula 1 we have a chance to fight at the front.

“We haven’t been able to do that for the last six years. So this is our first opportunity and my first opportunity to do this and my first opportunity to see where I am.

“I was definitely not at the level that I needed to be at the beginning of the year or even at the point of the season in Miami.

“After the summer holidays I feel like I did a really good job and performed really, really well. By far some of the best performances I’ve done.

“So, to be honest, I’m really happy with how the last few months have gone. I wouldn’t change much of what happened.

“But I still need to make changes. I still need to improve. This is clear. I’m not completely satisfied with how I handled it. I know for sure that I need to improve something.

“For the first time, I can confidently say that I have everything that I think I need to compete for a championship. This doesn’t mean I’m complete. This doesn’t mean I’m perfect, that’s for sure.

“When you compete with drivers who are close to it, like Max, you have to be close to perfection if you want to challenge him and challenge the teams that are nearby.

“So, I’m sure. I think the biggest thing I can take away is to believe that I have what it takes to compete for a championship.”