Lando Norris took home the perfect victory in Abu Dhabi, capping off a truly impressive 2024 season that saw him mount a challenge for World Champion and helping McLaren secure the constructors’ title.

As Norris rolled around the Yas Marina Circuit on his cool-down lap, he radioed his team to issue a brief but pointed warning to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Lando Norris makes big promise for F1 2025 season

At the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season, few would have pinpointed Lando Norris as a potential World Championship contender. The McLaren driver had performed admirably heading into his sixth season as an F1 driver, but questions remained about the ability of the team to provide him with a car capable of contending for a title.

In Miami, that all changed.

The first American race of the 2024 season brought with it a slew of upgrades from McLaren that fundamentally changed the game. That weekend, a competent car paired with a hungry driver and a rare Max Verstappen mistake created a perfect storm that saw Norris take his first-ever victory in Formula 1.

Suddenly, the tides had turned. Norris was a regular contender for wins and podiums, first holding off Verstappen and then drivers from both Mercedes and Ferrari, as the competition tightened up further into the season.

That impressive season was capped off with his impressive win in Abu Dhabi — his fourth victory of the year.

It was a victory that prompted a strong response from Norris himself.

“Congrats, everyone,” Norris enthused over the radio on his cool-down lap.

“Incredible. Well done everyone. So proud of you all. You deserve this. Thank you so much. It’s been a special year.”

Then came a big promise.

“Next year is gonna be my year, too.”

It’s a strong promise from Norris, but one that seems extremely likely after his impressive Abu Dhabi race. With the WDC pressure off his shoulders, Norris took a commanding pole and held that position all the way through to the end of the race. It was the ideal event to set the tone for 2025.

Speaking to Nico Rosberg during the official post-race interviews, Norris did seem a little more hesitant to predict his future.

“Are you going to be World Champion next year?” Rosberg asked.

Norris hesitated for a moment before he responded, “It’s my goal. It our goal as a team. We want to win the Constructors’. We want to do it. We want to win the drivers’ next year as well.

“I made my mistakes this year, but I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve learned a lot from Max and my competitors around me.

“As much as I’m happy now, I’m excited to get next year going.”

If 2024 is any indication, Norris is correct: Big things are coming in 2025.