Lando Norris continued his winning streak in spectacular fashion at the 2025 F1 São Paulo GP, where the McLaren driver delivered a masterclass in pace, control, and composure. The victory marked another high point in what has been a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old Briton, who now finds himself not only fighting for wins but shaping the narrative of the championship itself.
From his first laps on Friday to the chequered flag on Sunday, Norris looked every inch the confident front-runner. Yet, as always, he combined his natural speed with honesty and humility when reflecting on his performance. Speaking after the race, Norris revealed the emotion behind the win, his focus on self-improvement, and his refusal to get carried away — even as he leads the world championship.
“An amazing race” dedicated to a mentor
After climbing from the car, visibly drained yet full of satisfaction, Norris, in his trackside interview, spoke candidly about how much effort went into securing the win — and what it meant to him personally. His first thoughts weren’t about the statistics or the margin of victory but about paying tribute to Gil de Ferran, someone who had deeply influenced his career.
“Well, I did. I was pushing. An amazing race. Nice to win here in Brazil. It’s an amazing track, amazing fans. And yeah, this one was for Gil, one of my mentors growing up a couple years ago. Yeah, so this one was for him. I’m sure he’d be very proud about it all, so I was thinking of that while we were driving. But yeah, a perfect, perfect weekend.”
After the touching tribute, Norris switched gears, speaking about his current form and the secret behind McLaren’s consistency over recent weekends. His message was one of focus and perseverance, reflecting a champion’s mindset.
“Just ignore everyone that talks crap about you! Yeah, just focus on yourself and, you know, the team… McLaren are doing an amazing job, giving me a great car. We’re pushing hard every single weekend and I’m pushing hard away from the track. So, rewarding. Rewarding — it doesn’t come easy, that’s for sure. And to be honest, I don’t think we were the quickest out there on track today, but glad to take home the win.”
Norris satisfied to end the weekend with “a well-executed race”
In the post-race press conference, Norris spoke positively about his performance, explaining that his satisfaction extended beyond Sunday’s result to the entire 2025 F1 São Paulo GP race weekend. He described the event as both rewarding and challenging, recognising that while the outcome was strong, it required careful management at every stage.
“Well, I’ve been pretty satisfied the whole weekend, honestly. It’s been a great day, a great weekend, all-in-all. I’d say challenging. It’s not been completely straightforward. It’s still been difficult out on track, but that makes it better. I think it was just a well-executed race: good start, good pit stops, good strategy, decent pace.”
He went on to explain that, although pleased with his overall performance, the car’s pace was not at the ideal level he would have preferred.
“I wouldn’t say the pace was quite as good as what I would have liked today, so a few things to look into, but otherwise, every session that I needed to be on top, I was. And that’s why I flew to Brazil. So yeah, very happy.”
Analysing the challenges
When asked to expand on the challenges he had mentioned, Norris provided further context regarding the car’s handling. He clarified that the balance was not ideal, but such difficulties are a regular part of a F1 weekend.
“I mean, I think everyone… We’re drivers, so we’re always going to complain about something! The car balance was difficult. I’m sure the others will say the same. But it’s a realistic thing to use.”
He also compared the 2025 F1 São Paulo GP weekend to the previous event in Mexico City, where he had felt more comfortable with the car and achieved a larger winning margin.
“In terms of when I was a bit happier with the car balance last weekend, we won by 30 seconds. This weekend, we only won by 10 and, you know, Max was coming at us quite quickly. So yeah, the pace was not on another level and we set our standards high, as a team, as we rightly should. So to win by 10 seconds—I’m going to sound like an idiot saying it—but yeah, we just wanted a bit more. I still had to fight the car a lot to win by those 10 seconds.”
He concluded his analysis by reiterating his satisfaction with the team’s performance and the overall result. Despite some technical challenges, he expressed appreciation for the effort that went into securing the win.
“So, just a little bit trickier than what I would have liked. But I’m still very happy with how the weekend’s gone, of course, and I’m very proud of the whole team and what they’ve been able to give me.”
Mediums the compound of choice for Norris at Interlagos
A key talking point of the 2025 F1 São Paulo GP was tyre management, with the changing track conditions at Interlagos demanding precision and adaptability from the drivers. As temperatures shifted and degradation fluctuated, maintaining consistent pace became critical. Lando Norris, who managed his tyres effectively throughout, explained the nuances of his race and how each compound performed after taking another commanding win for McLaren.
“Not as good,” he said when asked about his pace on the soft compound tyres. “Even the last stint was not quite as strong. I thought the first stint was very, very good. But that was also the time I was on the most, let’s say, relative tyre to everyone. I think my used set of Mediums at the end was like seven, eight laps used, so not as nice as, say, a second set of new.”
Norris explained that his strongest pace came during the opening stint on the medium compound, when tyre conditions were most even across the grid. He noted that the final stint, run on a used set of mediums, lacked the same grip but remained manageable thanks to McLaren’s balance and strategy.
“But yeah, I think the pace on the Medium all weekend has been very good. The pace on the Softs—alright. Pace on the Hards—I don’t really know because I never used them.”
Constant refinement needed to ensure continued success
Reflecting on the 2025 F1 São Paulo GP, Norris said that McLaren continues to focus on refinement and marginal gains, even during dominant performances. “So there’s always little things. We’re always looking, as a team, to see where we can do better, what can we improve on, especially when you’re fighting for wins and for championships. You’ve got to look for everything. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”
“I definitely had preferred feelings of the Medium, but we’ll see what we can do next time out,” he concluded.
Brazil just another weekend in the 2025 Championship
With two consecutive victories and a growing championship lead, questions about a potential turning point were inevitable. Yet, in true Norris fashion, he downplayed the idea of momentum or destiny, choosing instead to focus on consistency and discipline.
“No. It just feels like another weekend where I came here to try and win, to get the most points I could, and did that. I did that also last weekend. So yeah, I think neither are turning points. They’re just strong results, which is exactly what I need, exactly what I’m fighting for every single weekend and every day. So just very pleased, but it’s still a long way to go. So no point getting too happy or excited just yet.”
