Why can’t Lando Norris do this every week?

All of a sudden, is the path to the F1 2025 world championship opening up for Lando Norris?

With McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri still stuck in his late-season slump, and Max Verstappen’s resurgence hitting a bump in Mexico, Norris now has a golden opportunity to secure a maiden title. He leads on points with four races to go, but can he be trusted to finish the job?

Join the debate: Will Lando Norris win the F1 2025 title?

A version of this article originally appeared in PlanetF1.com’s conclusions from the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix

There exists a perception among some fans that the media tends to be unduly harsh on Lando Norris compared to other drivers.

And they have a point. It’s true. Hear that at the back? It. Is. True. No denying it here.

But why is that the case? That’s the important part.

And the answer is that it is because of weekends like this.

How can it be, after all, that a driver capable of such amazing highs can be so utterly uninspiring at other races?

Is this really the same Lando Norris who limped to a distant seventh place, seemingly oblivious to the opportunity presented to him by Oscar Piastri’s retirement, in Baku just five weeks ago?

Lando Norris vs Oscar Piastri: McLaren head-to-head scores for F1 2025

? F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

? F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

How is it that this was his first victory in 84 days, stretching back to Hungary at the start of August?

Where has this Lando Norris been for the last three months?

And why doesn’t a driver as clearly gifted as this win – no, dominate – every week?

Therein lies the great frustration with Lando Norris.

That he doesn’t always do himself and his talent justice. That too often he sells himself short.

That he’d be capable of so much more if only he just got out of his own way from time to time.

Rarely has an athlete so obviously talented been riddled with such self-doubt. If only he had the personality and self-confidence of, say, Max Verstappen, he would be lethal.

That’s the only thing that’s really holding him back. And – yes, hands up – it makes him infuriating to watch at times.

If a driver of Max’s demeanour had just produced the kind of weekend Norris just did in Mexico, he would almost certainly be regarded as the overwhelming favourite for the 2025 title right now.

But because it’s Lando we’re talking about here, and because this is a driver with a suspect temperament who has only ever strung together two victories in succession (and even that owed much to Piastri’s penalty at Silverstone), well… honestly, who knows?

Put another way, can Norris be trusted over the remaining four races to replicate his Mexico performance level (or something close to it) enough times and hold his nerve to hit home the advantage this victory has given him?

It’s doable, certainly. But previous evidence, from both this year and last, suggests it would be quite unlike him.

How the F1 2025 title race has developed

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? Singapore GP conclusions: Norris corners Piastri, Russell’s big chance, double Red Bull exit?

More than once this season – notably after Monaco and Silverstone – people have confidently declared following a Norris victory that he has ‘the momentum’ in the title fight.

Only for him to blow it at the very next race and for those familiar frailties of his to resurface.

The complete elimination of doubt, that assurance that he will seize any and every opportunity presented to him, is not yet alive in Norris.

Yet with Piastri still in the midst of his late-season wobble, and Verstappen and Red Bull receiving a reality check in Mexico, the scale of the opportunity opening up before Norris now is undeniable.

All year long it has felt as though people have been waiting for Norris and the McLaren to finally click and for his peak performances – Zandvoort/Abu Dhabi 2024, Austria/Mexico 2025 – to become the norm.

Back in the lead of the championship for the first time since Bahrain, his retirement at Zandvoort reduced to a distant memory, he probably should win it from here.

But who can say with confidence that he will?

And how exactly will he react now he leads the points and he, not Oscar, has something to lose? It’s hard to know.

To repeat the point this column made after his win earlier this season in Monaco, another day when it seemed the clouds had finally parted: he has the talent and the pace to blow Piastri away and storm to the title.

The key question, as ever with Lando, is whether his mind will let him.

Reader reaction: Lando Norris the new F1 2025 title favourite?

Brian Ivon Jones: Oliver Harden up to his old tricks again. He simply does not like Norris. For my part I think Norris has matured and is a far less self-critical during the second half of this season. I think he will now win the drivers’ championship quite comfortably.

A few races ago the media were saying that the team had decided to favour Piastri over Norris and that Piastri was unofficially was their No.1 driver that was obviously complete nonsense.

f1oldergenfanny: Max is the winner on the WDC in Mexico, he gained 4 points on whoever the WDC leader is from 40 to 36 points.

Beaker: Unduly harsh crtique yet again of Lando who “hasn’t won” since Hungary, but has beaten his teammate, the WDC leader, who everyone said had a mental strength advantage ever since his mechanical failure, all while in Monza, Baku, Singapore and arguably Austin having at best the second fastest car.

Both drivers acknowledge a fast but twitchy car that is hard to drive at certain tracks when not dialled in and we forget to acknowledge their competitor Max is one of the all time greats. So yes, you are unduly harsh.

Marco Andrea: Mr Norris was untouchable this weekend, massive win! And it seems Oscar is dithering under championship pressure from his team-mate. The booing was unjust for Lando them lot should stick to wrestling. Max is still very much in the championship, can’t wait for Brazil.

Jack Willet: The man with the lion on his helmet is shaking… because the actual Lion is coming. Go Lando.

Danny (in reply to Jack Willet): Riiiight. Lando a lion ? without a clearly faster car he’s stuck.

jnc: Any of the three of them could fairly simply still win it. Lando and Oscar especially; it’s effectively a mini-season from here on out for the current championship.

If Piastri doesn’t do it – keep reminding yourself that this is only his third season. Even Max took from 2014 to 2021 to take his first championship. He’s still learning.

Anthony Andrews: Lando usually only does well when he qualifies very highly. If he gets stuck behind someone, then a pass is very unlikely (Austin was hard work, and an anomaly – but kudos)

Alan: McLaren still have the best car, Max’s talent coupled with a bit of luck flattered Red Bull over the last few races. Lando is a top driver but if he was as good as people seem to think he is performances like Mexico would be the norm, not the exception.

Chaz: Seemingly sympathetic article about Lando then suddenly jumps on the anti Lando bandwagon. Every driver on the grid has good and bad weekends and Lando is no exception. Hes doing a brilliant job overall despite his many critics.

Ilir: Both McLaren drivers are too inconsistent. They take points of each other (McLaren’s fault this). That’s why I’m sure Max will win it.

Read next: Have your say: Has Lando Norris’ turnaround made 2025 title his to lose?