Abu Dhabi GP, Lando Norris is not afraid of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri
Lando Norris spoke at a press conference on the eve of the three-day Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last and decisive race of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, of which he leads the drivers’ standings by 12 points over Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen and 16 over his teammate in McLaren Oscar Piastri. The Briton has won 7 Grands Prix this year, started 7 times in pole position and set 6 fastest laps in the race, but he has suffered the incredible comeback of Verstappen, who, after the Hungarian GP on August 3, was 88 points behind him and still after the Sao Paulo GP on November 9 had 49, but Piastri, after the Dutch GP on August 31, had even 104 lengths of margin over the Dutchman.
“The approach? It’s the same as every weekend: nothing changes. Of course, we did the analysis of last weekend, as we actually do after every weekend, to review what happened, what was positive and what was negative for us, and also the mistakes we made. Also the less obvious things that we could improve on. These are the normal post-race talks, including preparations for the next race. Otherwise, nothing changes, we are all treated the same within the team. It is more exciting, I guess, for everyone at the same time. Other than that, the work and the way you approach everything remains the same.”
“I think in terms of position, obviously, I have the most to lose, because I’m the one at the top. I will do my best to stay there until the end of the year, for a few more days! At the same time, if things don’t go my way, I will try again next year. I will probably suffer for a while, then that’s life, we will move on and try to do better next season. I also feel mentally that I have nothing to lose, because it’s only one race, for a championship, but in 30 years I probably won’t think about it so much either way,” the McLaren Briton continued.
“What would winning the title mean to me? I hope you will ask me in a few days or a few weeks. This has been my whole life, it’s everything I’ve worked for my whole life, so it would mean so much to me, and it would mean so much to everyone who has supported me and pushed me over the last 16 years of my life in trying to get to this point. It would mean everything. It would mean that my life so far has been a success and that I have fulfilled that dream I had as a child. Other than that, I don’t know what else to say. It’s a reward for the hard work you do, and I think it goes to those who deserve it the most.”
