Norris replies to Russell: ‘Sorry mate, that’s not the right mentality'

Lando Norris has emphatically dismissed George Russell’s suggestion that McLaren’s early-season dominance in 2025 is so commanding that the team can halt the development of its MCL39 and shift its entire focus to its 2026 contender.

McLaren’s drivers locked out the front row in Melbourne in qualifying and the team looked like it was on-track for a resounding 1-2 at Albert Park until Oscar Piastri was caught out by the race’s treacherous conditions.

Nevertheless, Norris outpaced Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Russell to propel McLaren into a shared lead in the Constructors’ standings with Mercedes, both on 27 points, while Red Bull trailed with 18.

However, Russell stirred the pot after last Sunday’s event, suggesting McLaren’s pace gave them the luxury of redirecting resources to 2026.

“It’s what we expected to be honest, we’ve seen how strong they are,” the Mercedes driver told the media. “

“They’re at such an advantage because they can stop development now and go fully [focus] on ‘26 and it’s difficult to overcome that gap.”

But Norris made it clear that his team isn’t taking anything for granted.

Norris Rejects the Notion of Comfort

In the post-race press conference, Norris was asked whether his Melbourne triumph made him the early favourite for the drivers’ title.

His response was a measured blend of confidence and caution, directly addressing Russell’s comments with a pointed rebuttal.

©McLaren

“Let's see. Max was three-tenths off yesterday. Last year, we were much further off and ended up with the best car by the end of the season,” he said, reflecting on McLaren’s remarkable development curve in 2024.

“We were over half a second off at the beginning of last year behind Red Bull and ended up with the quickest car.

“I know George made some comments earlier this weekend that we can just turn our focus to 2026. If that's their mentality, wonderful, but that's not the mentality to have. Sorry, mate.”

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Norris’ tone was firm, his words dripping with a mix of defiance and camaraderie, as he made it clear he saw no room for complacency.

“We know we still have a lot of work to do on this year’s car,” he added. “If you relax in this position, you fail. In Formula 1, if you start thinking things are good and groovy, that's when you get caught.”

A Favourites’ Tag with Caveats

While Norris acknowledged McLaren’s strong position, he kept his exuberance in check.

“I do think we’re favourites because the team has done an amazing job, and the car is flying. But we will have races where we struggle,” he admitted.

©McLaren

He pointed to the season’s unpredictability, noting that a different start could have shifted the narrative entirely.

“If we started the season in Bahrain, I don’t think we would have won, and you wouldn’t be asking me this question. Let’s allow a few more races to take place before making any obvious statements.”

The Briton’s comments reflect a pragmatic outlook, one shaped by McLaren’s journey from underdogs to frontrunners in 2024 – a transformation that required relentless development rather than resting on early laurels.

For Norris, Russell’s suggestion that McLaren could down tools on the MCL39 and pivot to 2026 overlooks the cutthroat nature of Formula 1, where standing still is tantamount to falling behind.

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