Lando Norris has tempered expectations for McLaren as the 2025 Formula 1 season approaches, emphasizing that rivals like Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes have shown formidable strength in preseason testing. Despite McLaren's impressive performance in Bahrain, where Norris' race pace suggested a significant advantage, the British driver believes the competition is closer than many assume.

Norris expressed skepticism about the hype surrounding testing data, suggesting that rival teams may be downplaying their own capabilities to shift pressure onto McLaren. "I'm quite surprised so many people are short-sighted, especially people you wouldn't expect to be, making so many conclusions before we've even started the season," Norris said. He added that McLaren remains focused on their own performance rather than external narratives.

The 2024 constructors' champions emerged from testing as preseason favorites, but Norris downplayed the significance of their simulation results. He revealed that data from other teams, including Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari, indicated they were also performing at a high level. "I know how much fuel and stuff Ferrari had for a lot of the testing—you'd be surprised at how quick they're going to be this weekend," Norris noted.

Despite the uncertainty, Norris remains confident in McLaren's ability to compete at the highest level. "We want to be quick, we expect to be up there fighting, but I definitely don't think by the margin that everyone is saying," he concluded. As the season opener approaches, all eyes will be on McLaren to see if they can live up to the preseason hype or if their rivals will steal the spotlight.