"I'm not happy"

McLaren’s Lando Norris: “What does positive mean here?”

Lando Norris does not want to raise expectations too high.(Bild: AFP/APA/FADEL SENNA)

While Lando Norris is listed by most bookmakers as the favorite for the 2025 World Championship title, the McLaren driver himself wants to put the brakes on expectations. When asked about the positive year ahead of him, the Briton simply said: "What do you mean by positive?"

Although Norris set the fastest time in the first practice session in Australia, he was beaten by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and team-mate Oscar Pisatri in the second session. "That was so-so. Basically, this is a solid start to the weekend and we believe that we have laid a reliable foundation, but I'm not happy with the car's balance, we can certainly get more out of the car," criticized last year's world championship runner-up.

Above all, Norris sees room for improvement in terms of handling on low fuel - a problem that he had already noticed in Bahrain, but which the team has not yet been able to solve. 

Lando Norris is one of the title contenders.(Bild: EPA/JOEL CARRETT)

"Nothing has changed"
Nevertheless, a first and third place in the first two practice sessions suggest where the journey could take him. However, Norris was quick to fend off a corresponding question: "What do you mean by positive? I think we will be strong in 2025. But our opponents - starting with Ferrari - will also be there with the music, so the overall picture hasn't changed."

We will find out who plays the most beautiful tune in Australia and who will leave Melbourne as the world championship leader on Sunday morning when the first points of the season are awarded at the Albert Park Circuit.