Norris says McLaren's 2026 trade-off was 'impossible dream' avoided

Lando Norris has explained why McLaren chose to divert resources from its 2026 preparations in order to secure the 2025 world championship. Norris became the first McLaren drivers' champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008, winning by two points from Max Verstappen, while the team also defended its constructors' title.

Norris said the scale of the regulation changes made winning across eras an impossible dream, as the team could not fully focus on both a title fight and the new chassis and power unit rules at once. He described the season as a success in closing the gap after starting well behind Mercedes and others, rather than a failure.

Norris added that the compromise made in 2025 was one McLaren would continue to make, with the team currently battling Red Bull for third in the constructors' standings.