McLaren driver Lando Norris has dismissed George Russell’s suggestion that his team should pause development on their dominant 2025 car and focus on next year’s model.
Norris, who currently leads the championship, insists that McLaren must continue to refine their car to maintain their advantage.
Russell’s Comments Spark Debate
Mercedes driver Russell sparked the debate by suggesting that McLaren’s significant lead in the championship means they can afford to shift their focus to 2026.
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“McLaren has such a big gap to the others that they could stop development already and focus completely on 2026,” Russell said.
Norris Fires Back
However, Norris was quick to reject Russell’s advice, insisting that complacency would be a recipe for disaster.
“If that’s their mentality, wonderful, but that’s not the mentality to have,” Norris said.
“We know we still have a lot of work to do on this year’s car. If you relax in this position, you fail.”
Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko Predicts McLaren’s Edge Will Shrink
Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko has predicted that McLaren’s advantage will shrink within the first 3-5 races of 2025.
However, Norris remains focused on maintaining his team’s momentum, citing last year’s experience where McLaren improved significantly over the course of the season.
