Lando Norris has hit back at George Russell’s claim that McLaren are dominant enough to win every race in 2025, saying he thought his fellow Brit was smarter than that.
Mercedes man Russell even went as far as arguing that Norris’s car is harder to beat than the Red Bull that won all but one race in 2023.
Norris’s advantage was underlined by his win in the opening race in Australia last weekend, though he qualified only sixth for the sprint race that was due to take place in China overnight. He made mistakes in qualifying as a ‘gobsmacked’ Lewis Hamilton took pole for Ferrari.
Told about Russell’s assessment, Norris said: ‘Ha! What!? A bigger advantage than the 2023 car that won everything!? Right.
‘I thought he was a bit smarter than that, but clearly not. I don’t even need to say anything. We have the fastest car but it’s obvious enough that it’s not as dominant.
‘George thinks he can play a lot of games but… I don’t fall for any of them.’
Lando Norris (right) has accused George Russell (left) of playing mind games after he said McLaren are likely to dominate this season
Russell suggested McLaren’s car may be even more dominant than the one Red Bull produced in 2023
Norris has hit back at that suggestion and thinks this season will be very competitive between multiple teams
Russell finished third in Melbourne behind Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Ferrari were strangely off the pace but are tipped to improve, as Hamilton’s pole suggested.
Asked if his compatriot’s comments would play tricks on his mind, Norris scoffed, saying: ‘No. If anything, it’s the opposite as if he is done with the season. It seems as if I am in his head, as if they know they can’t catch up. But let them do what they want. I don’t play much attention.
‘In a couple of races we will be fighting Mercedes. Red Bull are a bit closer, as are Ferrari, but at some races last year, such as Vegas, Mercedes dominated. I don’t know why people are so presumptuous after one race.
‘I’ll probably mention to George what he said, and he’ll say: “Oh, uh, er,” but this year especially I don’t care about any of it.’