Herbert: Verstappen best driver in F1 but Norris will be champion
F1 NewsMonday, 03 March 2025 at 15:15
After three days of Bahrain Formula 1 testing, Johnny Herbert believes McLaren will make a strong start to the 2025 season, predicting that they and Lando Norris will be World Champions come December.
Herbert looked into his crystal ball and reported what he saw over three days of F1 testing in Bahrain, where teams assessed their new cars under unusually cold conditions, with strong winds and rain disrupting running.
McLaren's Lando Norris set the pace on Day 1, Carlos Sainz was fastest on Day 2 [and the entire test] and George Russell topped Day 3. McLaren and Ferrari emerged as early contenders, while Williams impressed with strong mileage and Sainz's fastest lap time.
Reflecting on the three days in Bahrain, Herbert said: "Probably the most positive thing is McLaren coming out of the box and being very quick and very competitive. They've had a really poor show in the past in Bahrain in testing and so this is a really good start to 2025."
Herbert: McLaren and Ferrari to challenge for the 2025 F1 titles
Herbert continued: "It looks as if what they had at the end of last year from mid-season onwards is continuing. The Mercedes is a very different-looking Mercedes aerodynamically. Like most of the cars, their look is more towards a Red Bull than any other direction.
"The track is a bit all over the place because of the wind. The rain is coming into play as well. That's made it a little bit more difficult. I don't see what's a problem with it being difficult. It's never going to be easy. It should never be easy."
Herbert believes McLaren and Ferrari are best positioned to challenge for the 2025 F1 World championship title but the Grand Prix winner has picked the better of the two: "Constructors, it's between the McLaren and Ferrari. The two driver packages they both have are very strong.
"I'd still go to McLaren at the moment just because I know how consistent that car was at every single track that we saw them at from the second part of the season onwards. That's where the Ferrari's probably still got to prove that point. So, I'll stick with McLaren for that," reckoned the Briton.
McLaren teammate Piastri is the 'enemy' within for Norris to contend with
Herbert also backed Lando Norris as a potential title contender in 2025: "I'm backing Lando for the F1 drivers' title. He's got a bit between his teeth. He's learnt a massive amount from his racing against Max.
"I think Lando's learned what he needs to do to be able to beat him but he has got to be very, very careful with his teammate because I think Oscar is going to be very much in the mix at the same time."
A very possible 'enemy' Norris will face is seated in the other McLaren. Herbert expects Piastri to be a major factor in Norris’s title aspirations and sees their rivalry as a positive: "I think it's also a positive thing for Lando that he has Oscar as his teammate.
"In his first season, Oscar was really so strong mentally and he didn't care about anybody except himself. And that's the right mentality to have.
"Lando has got it within his own garage. But he's also then got to fight against Max as well and George, who's willing to put up a fight at the same time. We know Lewis will put up a fight if that Ferrari is good enough. So will Charles.
"It's not just everybody racing to beat Max. It's everybody going out there to beat the best of that season. And it could be your teammate who's just only sort of six feet away in your garage," explained the 60-year-old three-time F1 winner.
Herbert: Four or five teams can take it to Red Bull
Despite McLaren and even Ferrari's apparent superiority, Herbert expects a highly competitive 2025 F1 season, with multiple teams capable of challenging Red Bull: "This year there is so much opportunity for someone to spring a bit of a surprise. I don't think it is going to be one way for any team to be able to run away with the championship.
"It’s going to be that close. We expect it to be the closest that it's been for many a season. And it's a unique year as well because it's the last of the old regulations. There’s a lot of unknown quantities for 2026 to make an impact.
"There's a massive chance to make an impact. And the chance may only be this year. You never know. But when you have that opportunity, you've got to be on the top of your game. The good thing about having someone like Lewis and Max on the grid, it makes everybody a little bit more aware of what they need to do to be the best.
"Four or five teams have that ability this year to be able to take it to Red Bull. And now everybody I think has the right tools to be able to not just fight Red Bull but fight each other," predicted Herbert.
The 2025 Formula 1 season begins with Round 1, the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne from 14 to 16 March. Until the end of race day Sunday Down Under, they are all on zero points!
(Quotes from CasinoApps.com)
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