Lando Norris has the tempo and the equipment to win the F1 drivers’ championship this season, our specialists predict.
McLaren’s Norris fought valiantly final season however fell brief towards Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen, who racked up his fourth title in a row.
However McLaren ended 2024 with F1’s quickest automobile which ought to give Norris hope to construct an early benefit towards Verstappen this 12 months.
“The tempo he confirmed on the finish of the 12 months, he actually lower out a few of his errors,” mentioned Connor McDonagh, who backs Norris for the drivers’ title, on the Crash F1 podcast.
“I do know Brazil was slightly bit far and wide, he ran extensive a few instances.
“However a few of his performances – from pole to win – have been at an unimaginable stage.
“The hole he needed to Oscar Piastri is underrated.
“Folks go on about Piastri being so shut, however truly Piastri out-qualified him 4 instances!
“I believe Norris is the person to beat, and has the quickest automobile.
“The winner of the primary race? Charles Leclerc, in a feelgood story for Ferrari.”
Lewis Hamilton backed for F1 title
A second prediction for the drivers’ title additionally ideas Verstappen to lose his stranglehold excessive prize.
“I’ll say Lewis Hamilton for the win in Australia – he’s received an unimaginable file in Melbourne, and Ferrari are traditionally aggressive there,” predicted Lewis Larkam.
“What a narrative that will be, to win on his Ferrari debut and replicate the feat that Fernando Alonso did.
“It could spur on this hype prepare.
“The drivers’ championship? If we’re going daring, I’ll go for Hamilton…
“That is the transfer that he wanted to rejuvenate himself.
“Final season there was a component that he checked out. It was unusual timing, it made the scenario odd, that we knew earlier than the season that he would transfer to Ferrari.
“He was getting phased out of conferences, as you’d anticipate.
“Whether or not George Russell received preferential remedy with set-ups? We don’t know.
“It was one in all his worst seasons in F1 statistically however when there was a sniff of a win, he took it!”
The F1 grid is predicted to converge, by way of competitiveness, in 2025 as a result of it’s the remaining 12 months of the present engine laws.
It means each group will probably be trying to 2026 and past, so we must always see nearer racing this season.
That may give Verstappen his hardest job to defend his title but – or may give the Pink Bull driver a chance to additional show his brilliance.
