Is Norris more talented than Verstappen?

By Joe Murphy

In 2025, Lando Norris has emerged as a serious contender, challenging Max Verstappen’s dominance and possibly even surpassing him in some key areas. Pundits including Martin Brundle and even forme World Champion Jensom Button have sang the young Brit’s praises all season long.

While Verstappen is undeniably fast and has been a dominant force in Formula 1, Norris’s performances so far in the season, his strategic intelligence, and the progress of McLaren suggest that he could be the better driver in 2025.

Norris’s performance in the first few races of the season has been exceptional. At the Australian Grand Prix in March 2025, he secured his first win of the season, demonstrating remarkable composure and speed. Starting from pole position, Norris managed to maintain his lead despite pressure from Verstappen, who finished second. The victory marked McLaren’s first win in Australia since 2012, further highlighting Norris’s growth as a driver. Speaking after the race, Norris said, “I’ve never felt so good in a car. The team gave me everything I needed, and I just had to do my job.” This statement reflects his growing confidence and ability to extract maximum performance, even when others, including Verstappen, couldn’t match his pace.

In the Chinese Grand Prix, Norris finished second, despite dealing with brake issues during the race. In contrast, Verstappen struggled to make inroads on the McLaren driver, even though Red Bull’s car was considered faster on paper. Norris’s ability to adapt to changing conditions and manage his car under pressure was key to his success. “I had to fight through a lot of pain, but it’s just about staying focused,” Norris said after the race. His ability to manage his car and extract performance in challenging circumstances shows a level of maturity and racecraft that Verstappen, for all his raw speed, has sometimes lacked. Verstappen has often been praised for his aggressive driving style, but it has also led to moments of inconsistency and mistakes under pressure. For instance, in the 2024 season, Verstappen made several uncharacteristic errors when battling with Norris and other drivers, something that was less frequent with Norris, whose strategy and execution were often more controlled.

In 2025, Norris has also shown superior strategic intelligence compared to Verstappen. His ability to read the race, understand tire degradation, and manage fuel has given him an edge over his competitors. Norris’s calm and calculated approach has led him to make fewer errors and adapt more quickly when the race conditions change. Verstappen, on the other hand, has occasionally been prone to taking risks that don’t always pay off. A notable example is the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, where Verstappen pushed too hard late in the race, causing him to make an error and lose valuable positions. Norris, meanwhile, has consistently demonstrated a better ability to navigate these situations with a clear head. “The key to winning races is not just speed, but making the right calls when it matters,” Norris said after his victory in Australia, underscoring his growing awareness of the mental side of racing.

In terms of qualifying performance, Norris has also been more consistent than Verstappen in 2025. Despite McLaren not having the outright speed of Red Bull, Norris has regularly outqualified Verstappen in both wet and dry conditions. At the Australian Grand Prix, for instance, Norris’s pole position showed that he could match Verstappen’s one-lap pace, even in a car that wasn’t as fast as the Red Bull. “It was a perfect lap. I didn’t expect to be on pole, but everything came together at the right moment,” Norris explained after the session. This type of performance is becoming more common for Norris, who is consistently able to extract more from the car than the raw data suggests. Verstappen, for all his talent, has occasionally struggled with qualifying sessions, particularly when conditions aren’t ideal, something Norris has taken full advantage of.

McLaren’s continued development in 2025, with Norris as the team’s focal point, has played a crucial role in his rise to the top. Under his leadership, McLaren has been making steady progress, closing the performance gap with Red Bull. While Verstappen has the benefit of driving for a team that is well-established at the front of the grid, Norris is helping to lead a team that has consistently been improving. In fact, McLaren’s success in Australia and China is a direct reflection of Norris’s leadership, with the car showing significant progress since 2024. “It’s a fantastic feeling to see the team’s hard work paying off. But we know there’s still a long way to go,” Norris said. His ability to work closely with the team to develop the car, combined with his driving skills, has been key to McLaren’s rise.

The synergy between Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri has also been crucial to McLaren’s success in 2025. Both drivers have complemented each other well, with Piastri’s consistent performances providing a strong foundation for the team’s progress. Norris, however, has consistently outperformed Piastri in race situations, showing a greater ability to extract performance under pressure. “Oscar’s a great teammate, but I have to push him to get the best out of myself,” Norris said after the Chinese Grand Prix. This healthy competition within the team has helped Norris raise his game and develop further as a driver.

In contrast, Verstappen’s dominance in Red Bull has not faced the same level of internal challenge. While Sergio Pérez has been a solid teammate, he has not been able to challenge Verstappen in the same way that Piastri has challenged Norris. This lack of internal competition at Red Bull may explain why Verstappen has sometimes been able to coast through races without facing the same level of strategic pressure that Norris has had to deal with at McLaren. Norris, by contrast, has had to extract every bit of performance from his car to stay ahead of Verstappen in races, pushing him to become a more complete driver.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Norris’s growth as a driver has been marked by his ability to learn from his mistakes and continue to improve. Verstappen, while still a formidable force, has occasionally shown signs of arrogance and has made mistakes that have cost him wins or podiums. In contrast, Norris has been more measured, learning from each race and consistently finding ways to improve. “I’ve made mistakes in the past, but I’m always learning,” Norris said after the Australian Grand Prix. This humility and focus on continuous improvement could be the key to Norris surpassing Verstappen in 2025.

In conclusion, while Max Verstappen remains a world-class driver, Lando Norris has demonstrated in 2025 that he may well be the better driver this season. His consistency, racecraft, strategic intelligence, and ability to perform under pressure have been superior to Verstappen’s in key areas. As McLaren continues to close the performance gap with Red Bull, Norris’s growth as a driver, coupled with his leadership at McLaren, makes him a strong contender for the championship, potentially even outperforming Verstappen by the end of the season.