McLaren capped off a stellar 2024 by clinching the Constructors’ Championship in Abu Dhabi thanks to Lando Norris’ emphatic win. As soon as he won, Norris declared that his team would be coming for both titles next season, something Will Joseph didn’t sound too sure about in a recent podcast.
Joseph, Norris‘ race engineer, expressed concerns about McLaren’s ability to defend its Constructors’ if they do not improve across the board. McLaren did end the 2024 season on top, but their level of performance was not satisfactory enough, per Joseph.
“I think it’s fair to say that if we perform at the level we are now we’ll get beaten,” he admitted on the Fast and the Curious podcast. He pointed to the razor-thin margins in F1, where small mistakes make huge differences.
‘It’s a given that the driver’s title is Lando’s goal’
Lando Norris’ Race Engineer Will Joseph tells @gregjames, @ChrisHewgill, and @BettyGlover_ about the team’s targets for next year after McLaren’s historic Constructors’ title.#F1 pic.twitter.com/ftsNGREpmF
— The Fast And The Curious (@fastcuriouspod) December 13, 2024
“We have to raise the bar, we have to perform better, and so the winter is about working out how we are going to do that. We (must) do better at every single point because the margins are so small,” he added. Joseph was likely referring to the umpteenth number of mistakes made by his team throughout 2024.
He revealed that McLaren has been focusing on improvements in key areas, including car performance, race-day strategy, and engineering. According to Joseph, these improvements would be crucial in maintaining their advantage, as rival teams like Ferrari and Red Bull will intensify their efforts to close the gap in 2025.
Will 2025 be Norris’ year?
Winning the Constructors’ Championship was a testament to how far the team had come in a short period. At the beginning of 2023, McLaren was struggling to finish in the points, after which they recovered to end the season P4 in the standings.
2024, however, saw them become a race-winning outfit altogether. Mid-season upgrades introduced in Miami turned their season around, and Norris launched a strong challenge for Max Verstappen‘s crown, although it sadly didn’t work out.
The Dutchman secured his fourth consecutive title in Las Vegas, while Norris’ occasional errors, such as fumbled starts, hindered his bid for a serious title challenge. Improving race starts could be another critical focus for McLaren as they head into 2025.
️ “Tellement fier de vous, vous le méritez”
L’émotion de Lando Norris à la radio #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/CeY29Bhlyq
— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) December 8, 2024
Norris’ hunger for success was evident as he crossed the finish line in Abu Dhabi. His post-race radio message, ‘Next year’s going to be my year too,’ reflected his determination to take another step forward. This confidence from their star driver should serve as a powerful motivator for McLaren to push even harder during the off-season.
