Lando Norris is leading the 2025 Formula 1 world championship for the first time in six months, but that’s not the reason why he arrived in Brazil with a spring in his step.
After a Dutch Grand Prix retirement that looked potentially fatal to his title hopes, Norris found another gear to overturn a 34-point deficit on team-mate Oscar Piastri.
Norris did receive substantial help from the Australian, who has struggled over three of the last four weekends. But the one factor Norris does control is his own performance, and if the most recent Mexico Grand Prix is anything to go by the 25-year-old has hit his peak form at exactly the right time as the 2025 battle nears its conclusion.
Having largely overcome his early season one-lap struggles aboard the fast but tricky MCL39, Norris took pole in Mexico City with one of the best qualifying laps of his career and then won by 30 seconds to take over the championship lead from Piastri by a single point.
It’s the first time Norris has found himself on top of the points table since April, nearly 200 days ago. But that’s not the reason why’s been handed such a big boost ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
«It doesn’t mean anything for the time being,» Norris said on Thursday in the Interlagos paddock. «It’s nice to be there, but I still need to go and try and win this weekend, and the next.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
«Nothing’s completed, nothing’s done. There’s still 120 points or something available. [116 — ed.]»
«It’s not something I think of at all, but when I get reminded about it, it is a cool thought. Just being in the position to do that is also part of my dream. To be a Formula 1 driver, to try and win races, things like that. It still feels incredible.»
What has really given Norris a spring in his step is not his outlook in the championship, though, but how he has been able to stay in the fight after his Zandvoort disaster and worked his way back into contention through new-found consistency.
And having not won a race since the Hungarian Grand Prix, taking such a dominant pole-to-flag win in Mexico City gave his self-belief a shot in the arm.
«When I have a weekend like last weekend, I still prove a bit to myself that I can go out and I can dominate a weekend,» he explained. «It’s nice to still prove to myself every now and then what I’m capable of and what I can achieve.
«It’s also just consistency. It’s not like I’ve won the last six or seven races, but I’ve been consistently up there and consistently scoring points. And that’s actually the thing that’s given me the biggest boost over the last few weeks.»
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
— The Autosport.com Team
