"Max Verstappen doesn't have the fast car" - Nico Rosberg justifies Lando Norris as the 2025 F1 championship favorite
Former F1 champion-turned-analyst Nico Rosberg vouched for Lando Norris to win the world championship in the 2025 F1 season, labeling him as the favorite candidate. Rosberg reasoned that Max Verstappen no longer has the fastest car. Hence, Norris can capitalize on McLaren's progress and compete for a championship in the upcoming season.
Rosberg was speaking on the Sky F1 Podcast when he assessed Norris' performance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The former champion opined that the 25-year-old driver is fast on raw speed. However, sometimes, the pressure of high-stakes situations leads to mistakes.
Regardless, for the 2025 F1 season, Rosberg sees Norris as the favorite to end Verstappen's four-year championship victory streak.
"Lando, he's the favorite for next year now to win the championship," Rosberg said on the Sky F1 podcast.
In the 2024 season, Lando Norris was in contention for the championship title until the Las Vegas Grand Prix. With four race wins and 13 podiums, the British driver finished 63 points behind Verstappen in the drivers' championship, missing out on his maiden title by a whisker.
However, Norris won the crucial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to lead McLaren to its first constructors championship since 1998. He won the race with over a five-second lead to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to bring home the trophy. As he crossed the checkered flag at the Yas Marina Circuit, the 25-year-old delivered an enthusiastic message on the radio.
"It's been a special year. Next year is going to be my year too," Norris said on the team radio.
McLaren's significant and unexpected progress mid-season initially fueled Norris' turnaround. After the summer break, the Papaya team transformed into the fastest car on the grid, with Red Bull struggling with pace.
Since May, Max Verstappen won five races while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri delivered consistent podium finishes. Hence, encouraged by the development in the second half of the 2024 season, McLaren would be optimistic of a dominant year in 2025.
Lando Norris sets eyes on the ultimate prize: "It's my goal"
Lando Norris capped off the 2024 season with a victory on the final weekend in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In his post-race interview with Nico Rosberg, the Briton said his next goal is to win the drivers' championship.
He admitted learning from his mistakes this year and expressed excitement for the coming season where he expects an intense fight and better results.
“It’s my goal. It's our goal as a team. We want to win the Constructors’. We want to do it. We want to win the drivers’ next year as well. I made my mistakes this year, but I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve learned a lot from Max and my competitors around me. As much as I’m happy now, I’m excited to get next year going," Norris said, responding to Rosberg's question (via PlanetF1).
As the 2024 F1 season concludes, McLaren has emerged as a serious threat to Red Bull. They clinched the constructors' title right under the latter's nose. Norris also narrowed the gap to Max Verstappen in the second half of the season.
These signs of improvement are likely to encourage the Papaya team to trust their development program and dethrone Red Bull before the 2026 engine regulation overhaul takes place.
Red Bull, on the other hand, is contemplating their ideal driver's lineup for the 2025 season. Sergio Perez's performance is likely to be evaluated at a stakeholder's meeting. The team is reportedly taking the constructors' title defeat seriously and is likely to aim for radical changes in the near future.