Lando Norris demands more from McLaren despite upgrades and win in Brazil: 'Not good enough'

Despite new McLaren upgrades and a comfortable Brazilian Grand Prix victory, 2025 F1 champion Lando Norris has warned that the team are still some way short of having a title-winning car.

The victory was Norris' third of the year – only champion-elect Kimi Antonelli has won more – but last year's champ said after the race that while he's pleased with his team's work behind the scenes and in public, there is still a distance to go before he can consider a fight to regain his title.

The surface numbers would appear to back that viewpoint, with the Brit just sixth in the championship standings – albeit only 33 points behind second-placed George Russell – and his team fourth in constructors' points.

As badly as those team struggles have hit Norris though, they've affected Oscar Piastri much worse. The Australian, after finishing just 13 points back in the title race last season, is just barely clinging onto seventh in the championship ahead of Isack Hadjar, who missed three races with a broken wrist earlier in the year.

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Norris: 'Great' upgrades still not enough

Norris praised the team for the new package they brought to Interlagos, but said: "The upgrades we brought this weekend were great. They worked as they should have done, so if we didn't bring them, we'd be further behind. Simple as that. But it's still not enough.

"They're not enough to say you're suddenly always the quickest. I think on a day like Sunday, it's not all about that. It's about good strategy, good pit stops, driving well and not making mistakes.

"I certainly had a car that I could fight for a win with, and that's very important. Those things would help. It's hard to quantify how much it's helped, but upgrades always do, and they worked well. So, the team has done a very good job."

Norris: McLaren not confident in package

Norris continued, stating that while the team are happy with the win, they're not content because they know they are still 'not good enough' in the grand scheme of things.

"As much as we're happy we've managed to bring things and take a step forward, and come away with a pole and a win, we're not as happy as we could be because we also know we're not good enough," he continued.

"We're not at the level we need to be. We're not confident in the package we have just yet. We're getting there slowly. We want to do it quicker, but that's difficult.

"We know we still have work to do, and we're not at the level we need to be to fight for a world championship just yet. So, I'm proud of the team for the work they're doing, but we all know that we still have work to do."

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