"I've not performed at the level of a world champion. Simple as that."
Lando Norris took some criticism from the media last year for being too hard on himself when speaking about his own imperfections. Yet at the same time, the admission he made in Zandvoort, facing the media on Thursday ahead of the grand prix that would bring him his second career victory, was probably no more than just stating the obvious – not only to the media but also to the fans.
Maybe he's not really being hard on himself, he's just saying what's on his mind.
"At certain times I have [performed], and in many races, I have," he said back then, "but there have also been little things that just let me down along the way, and those are things I cannot afford to have. And that's why I've not been happy with certain parts of the season and what I'm working very hard to try to improve."
Half a year later, he has presented clear evidence of that promised improvement, as his victory in Melbourne was arguably his most complete in Formula 1. And it was the little things that ultimately made this victory happen.
To say that he was flawless all weekend would be an overstatement, yet most importantly, Norris delivered when it mattered.
After his initial lap time was deleted in Q3 following his first attempt due to running wide at Turn 4, he kept his cool towards the end of the session to secure pole with the slightest of margins over McLaren team-mate, Oscar Piastri.
This time, he remembered the correct procedure for an aborted start – unlike Brazil last year – and then, with two small but crucially well-timed moves on the run down to Turn 1 at the actual start, he saved himself from another social media outcry about his alleged inability to hold the lead on lap one (is that still a thing?).
That provided him with the opportunity to remain in the position of the hunted for the duration of the grand prix – something he seemingly needs to get used to in 2025.
He wasn't the fastest throughout, but – some would argue with a little help from the pit wall – he kept enough of a margin to Piastri in the middle part of the race and then to Verstappen at the very end, so neither managed to launch anything close to an overtaking attempt. It was as controlled a drive as it probably could have been in as chaotic a race as it gets in F1.
He did, of course, let his McLaren slide off the track at Turn 12 on lap 44 when the rain really started to intensify, but unlike Piastri, he still kept his wheels pointing in the right direction when sliding back onto the track from the grass – and crucially, kept the lead before diving into the pit lane.
Was it a tiny bit of luck, or was it that the Sochi experience from years ago helped him avoid losing the car in that moment? That's a question which is impossible to answer – probably even for Norris himself. Yet, it's the outcome that matters the most. After all, Norris was the first to arrive at that corner and experience the sudden loss of grip – but it was he who remained in control.
Add the more streamlined communication with his partner in crime, Will Joseph, to the list of things that have improved – and you get a driver who now seems prepared for whatever craziness may happen. The one who, perhaps, Norris himself believed he wasn’t last year.
Crucially, he delivered that near-perfect weekend while being labelled as the season favourite following a very impressive test for McLaren in Bahrain – and that's the kind of pressure he hadn't yet experienced in F1. He dealt with it as well as he could have.
And also, it was the second victory in a row that Norris delivered on demand after winning the 2024 finale in Abu Dhabi, which secured McLaren its first constructors' title in more than a quarter of a century.
It would be too easy to overhype Norris' drive now and conclude that this year's championship is his to lose. It’s also important to acknowledge that it could have all gone wrong – with an odd yellow flag during his second Q3 attempt in qualifying, or with the weather favouring Red Bull, leading to a completely different outcome.
The smallest detail could have completely shifted the perception of his whole weekend, where even a second-placed finish could have been seen as a defeat – and that’s the new reality for Norris as well.
From now on, it has to become a must for Norris to win the races he should win. He did it in Abu Dhabi. But simply because of the nature of the Melbourne race, last weekend’s victory was arguably more impressive – simply because of how chaotic it was.
Norris is right when he says "it's not all about the car," and it’s up to him now to capitalise on the progress McLaren has made. There’s no longer any discussion about whether he made the right decision sticking with the Papaya team during the challenging times, but now is probably the most crucial period of his career.
And although right now McLaren seems like a clear favourite, things can still change quickly. Yes, team boss Andrea Stella will probably ignore George Russell’s advice to switch focus to 2026 early on – but who’s to say Norris’ team is completely clear of the Red Bull and Max Verstappen threat?
Underestimating the Dutchman would be a silly mistake.
There’s also the FIA’s push to make F1 cars' wings less flexible, with new tests coming in as early as this week in China and again before the Spanish Grand Prix on the 1 June. The pecking order can still shift, and the first part of the season could prove to be the most important one for the championship fight - exactly as it was last year.
After all, it was in the spring and early summer when Verstappen won his title, not in Brazil. And Norris needs to be flawless – perhaps even more than he was in Melbourne – to ensure he capitalises on McLaren's current form.
And let's not forget that his main rival for this year's crown could be the guy sharing the garage with him. It’s the little things, again, that made the difference in Melbourne – Norris being a tiny bit more careful with his tyres during the decisive qualifying lap, so that he could really make the difference in the last two corners, and keeping the car on track on that very same lap 44. Piastri had an almost perfect race, but eventually let it slip away.
But with the Australian's rapid and, more importantly, steady progression, he’s inevitably going to become a threat to Norris’ title ambitions.
Norris now appears to be the favourite for this season and his Melbourne performance strongly suggests that he's as close to "performing like a champion" as it gets. Yet, there’s one clear difference between driving like a champion and being one. Melbourne was indeed one of his most convincing performances ever in F1. But doing it once won’t be enough.
And he clearly gets it.
"It's not easy to put a weekend together like this," he said on Sunday, "especially when I've got a lot of pressure from Max and Oscar because they're hungry, competitive, and want it just as badly.
"Stressful, but I know what I'm capable of. I know what I can do."
It’s not as headline-grabbing a quote as the "not performed at the level of a world champion" one. But coming from someone who's supposed to be hard on himself - or who just says what's on his mind - it should be worrying for his rivals.
