Norris ‘ready to bring the fight to everyone’

Lando Norris says he is “ready to bring the fight to everyone” having “learned a lot” during his breakthrough season in 2024.

McLaren’s Norris had his first four Formula 1 grand prix wins as he finished second to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship.

The 25-year-old Briton says missing out on the title to Dutchman Verstappen hurt, but that he’s ready to come back stronger in 2025.

“When that realisation kind of sets in of ‘it’s gone’, it’s a tough one,” Norris told the BBC podcast F1: Back at Base.

“This is what I’ve done since I was a kid, this is all I want to do. So, as soon as that kind of candle is gone and it’s over, it hurts.”

Norris’ second place was his highest finish in the drivers’ standings after he narrowed the gap to Verstappen in the final phase of the season.

He ignited his title challenge with his maiden F1 victory at May’s Miami Grand Prix and signed off the season with eight pole positions in addition to his four wins.

Norris got within 47 points with four races to go but Verstappen’s victory in Brazil gave him the opportunity to secure the title at the following race in Las Vegas.

“It’s been a year where, actually, I’ve been pretty proud of my performance. Proud of performing under the pressure that we’ve been under, delivering when I have,” Norris said in the podcast.

“I’ve made my mistakes and, at the same time, I’ve learned a lot from those mistakes.

“So for us to go into next year, going ‘we have what it takes, we have a car’… I believe I’m a good enough driver and I’ve got everything it takes.

“I’m excited to go into 2025 knowing I’ve learned a lot, I’ve improved a lot and I’m ready to bring the fight to everyone.

“Confidence is something I’ve struggled with in the past and probably I’ve only built enough up throughout this season to go ‘I’m confident that I’m a good enough driver to win a championship next year’ and I can bring a fight to whoever wants to fight me for it.”