2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button expects to see a different Lando Norris in 2025 after his 2024 battle for the world championship with Max Verstappen, Afrosport reports.
The McLaren driver was Verstappen’s closest challenger for much of the campaign but was not able to pull it off after Verstappen cruised from 17th to win the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Verstappen went on to clinch his fourth consecutive title by finishing ahead of Norris in Las Vegas.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 podcast about Norris’ season, Button said: “He’s shown his skill and his speed. He’s got to be proud of what he’s achieved. It was a slim chance but he was fighting for a world championship in F1. It’s an awesome position to find yourself in.
“A lot of it is down to his talent but also proves how good the team has been and how they’ve improved over the last few years. I obviously remember McLaren back in 2016 when I left the sport and it was a little bit different to where they are right now. Proud of the team as well.”
Button added: “I think going up against Max – he’s a different animal to anyone else on the grid to go up against. He knows his goals in a race. Whether that’s to win or just to beat you as his championship rival and he just aims at you. He forgets what else is going on around him and his aim is to beat you. We saw that on many occasions, especially in Austin and Mexico.
“When someone is that dedicated to just beating you that’s tough. He would have learned a lot and I am really excited to see a slightly different Lando next year.
“He will be studying every bit of footage that he has from this season of racing against Max. He will come out much stronger next year and we will see a different Lando I think. It’s all learning. Until you’ve gone up against Max, you don’t know how you’re going to react.”
Despite losing out on the drivers’ championship, Norris can help McLaren clinch their first constructors’ championship since 1998 at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.
