Lando Norris, the McLaren driver, has a bone to pick with the narrative surrounding Red Bull's performance in the 2025 Formula 1 season. While his team believed that the Singapore Grand Prix was a crucial test for Red Bull, Norris had a different take on the matter.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull's star driver, narrowly missed out on his third consecutive pole position, but he still managed to secure second place in qualifying. However, it was his performance on the track that caught Norris's attention, as Verstappen finished ahead of both Norris and his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri.
Norris found himself in a bit of a spat with Verstappen, his old rival, during and after qualifying. Verstappen felt that Norris had unnecessarily slowed him down during his final run in Q3. But what truly irked Norris was a question about Red Bull's recent resurgence and Verstappen's dominance on high-downforce tracks.
Verstappen's back-to-back poles and wins at Monza and Baku, which has contrasting downforce demands, raised curiosity among many, including McLaren team boss Andrea Stella. But Norris took issue with the suggestion that Red Bull struggled in Singapore last year, especially when Verstappen had a strong recovery and finished a close second to Norris in the race.
"I'm four-tenths off pole this year, so it must mean my car is four times worse than Max's last year, right?" Norris quipped. "We're doing just fine, thank you very much."
When it was suggested that this weekend was a litmus test for Red Bull's development work, Norris disagreed. "They've made significant improvements this season, especially at Monza with those upgrades. They've been consistently strong, and people tend to overlook that. Yes, they've had some tougher races, but that's Red Bull for you. Once they fix an issue, they're back on top."
Norris's comments reflect a broader frustration with the characterization of Red Bull's season. While it's true that they've had their ups and downs, Singapore wasn't a sudden turning point for them. They've shown their pace throughout the year, even on low-drag tracks.
But Singapore was indeed a key test, as Stella himself acknowledged. "It's interesting to see what Red Bull can do on a circuit like this. They were competitive in Monza and Baku, and we wanted to see if they could maintain that performance with high-level drag and big rear wings. Also, Singapore has been a tricky circuit for them in the past."
Stella's words hinted at a sense of being caught off guard by Red Bull's relentless development. "It's not a surprise that they've resolved these issues. Red Bull is a top-tier team, and with Verstappen leading the charge, it's no shock to see them at the front."
It's ironic that Stella expressed the very view that Norris seemed to challenge, using similar language about Red Bull's past struggles in Singapore.
Norris's annoyance with certain narratives has been a recurring theme this year. He's tired of the suggestion that McLaren is an unbeatable rocketship, that Verstappen is overachieving, and that Red Bull is having a bad season.
His comments in Singapore reflect a personal grievance, perhaps, at the underestimation of his and McLaren's achievements while overstating the issues of Verstappen and Red Bull. But it's also a reflection of the shifting competitive order, with Verstappen back in the mix, and McLaren not quite as dominant in Singapore as Norris had hoped.
As Norris is in a tight championship battle himself, he's not just concerned with Verstappen becoming a nuisance. Red Bull's consistent presence at the front directly impacts his title bid.
McLaren's acknowledgment of Red Bull's progress is significant, as it shows they're not taking their rivals lightly. While Norris may dispute some specific narratives, there's no denying that Red Bull and Verstappen are on a hot streak, and their car is performing well on various track types.
However, there's still uncertainty about the sustainability of Red Bull's form, especially given McLaren's struggles in Singapore. While Red Bull seems to have found a sweet spot, there are reasons why McLaren didn't perform as well as last year. The MCL39 didn't thrive in Singapore, and the McLaren still looked the fastest car in race trim.
McLaren's development trends have left them exposed in their weaker moments. "We've stopped developing our car for quite some time, focusing on 2026, while competitors like Red Bull kept bringing new upgrades," Stella explained. "Braking with bumps and kerbs, and low downforce tracks like Monza and Baku, have exposed some weaknesses. We haven't developed our car for a long time, and it shows."
Stella expects Austin to be a struggle for McLaren, but they remain confident on their 'home' tracks like Brazil, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. "Earlier in the season, we had an advantage, but now the field has become even more competitive as some teams continued to develop their cars."
The competitive landscape of Formula 1 is ever-shifting, and Norris's comments reflect the complex dynamics between teams and drivers. While Red Bull's progress is undeniable, McLaren isn't backing down. The battle for the championship is far from over, and the upcoming races will be crucial in determining the season's outcome.
