F1 champion reveals what he thought would be Lando Norris’ “downfall”

One-time System 1 world champion Jenson Button admits he thought Lando Norris “carrying his coronary heart on his sleeve” could be his “downfall” through the 2025 title battle.

The McLaren driver mounted his first severe title problem in 2024, although in the end got here up quick in opposition to Max Verstappen following the Purple Bull driver’s dominant begin to the marketing campaign.

However with McLaren in the end ending 2024 with the most effective automotive on the grid, Lando Norris got here into final season as one of many favourites to take the combat to Verstappen.

In what proved to be a tense 2025 season, wherein Norris clawed his method again from behind team-mate Oscar Piastri within the first half of the marketing campaign, the Briton emerged as world champion by simply two factors.

Intra-team tensions between Norris and Piastri, as McLaren navigated its method via ‘papaya guidelines’, at occasions led to outbursts from the previous every now and then.

Jenson Button, the 2009 champion and the driving force Norris replaces as Britain’s latest title winner, admits he felt this may in the end be the McLaren driver’s undoing.

“Lando wears his coronary heart on his sleeve,” Button instructed BBC Somerset.

“And, I’ve to confess, I assumed that may be his downfall.

“His expertise is past query. His velocity is solely unimaginable. I nonetheless keep in mind vividly when he accomplished his first check within the McLaren in Hungary. He was super-fast proper from the beginning.”

After profitable the opening spherical of the 2025 season in Australia, Norris did not stand on the highest step of the rostrum once more till the Monaco Grand Prix.

He gained 5 extra occasions after this, in Austria, Britain, Hungary, Mexico and Brazil.

McLaren will retain Norris and Piastri for the 2026 season, as F1 switches to new vehicles.

The Woking outfit will unveil its 2026 automotive on 9 February.

Unveiling will start on 15 January in America, when Purple Bull and Racing Bulls pull the covers off of their 2026 liveries.

Pre-season testing begins on 26-30 January in Barcelona behind closed doorways, with McLaren hoping it has gotten the brand new rules proper to take care of its present aggressive benefit.