MELBOURNE, Australia — Lando Norris says it is “short-sighted” to believe McLaren has a clear advantage over its rivals to start the Formula One season, instead anticipating a four-team fight at the front.

Lando Norris says he is “not happy” or “confident” with his McLaren F1 car despite appearing to make a strong start at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The Briton topped first practice in Melbourne and ended up third-quickest in the second session, just over a tenth adrift of Charles Leclerc ’s pacesetting Ferrari.

Lando Norris bemoaned balance issues with his McLaren MCL39 after second practice for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Norris

Lando Norris’ race simulations on Thursday have the rest of the paddock pointing to McLaren at the front of the field

McLaren believe Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can co-exist without problems as the team goes into the new season as favourites.

After helping McLaren to a constructor's championship in 2024, Oscar Piastri was rewarded with a multi-year contract worth nearly $26 million per year, according to Racing News 365. The new deal replaces Piastri's contract that ran through 2026 and was set to pay him over $7 million per season.

McLaren look strong heading into the 2025 Formula 1 season, but sometimes a strong team can lead to big problems as internal rivalries eventually spin out of co

McLaren secured their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998 a year ago, and the season ended with either Norris or Piastri on the top step of the podium in four of the fin