Lando Norris has explained that his 2024 title fight with Max Verstappen was a valuable learning curve, despite making a number of costly mistakes. The Brit is now fighting the Red Bull star and team-mate Oscar Piastri for the 2025 crown.

“I think [over] the second half of last year I learned the most about being back at the front, performing under pressure, and racing against the best in the world,” Norris told F1.com. “We learn a lot more there than when we’re at the back doing other things. Could I have made better decisions? Yes. Did I? No. Max deserved to win it, and I didn’t.

“At the end of the day, I was kind of happy that I got to experience all of those things and learn from all of those things, because it’s definitely helped me become a better driver now, and I’m a lot more ready now. Everyone’s different. Sometimes people are more natural in those things, and some people have to learn more and spend more time learning those things.

“For me, it was a good learning experience. Some of them more specifically with Max than others, but a lot of different situations. Even though it was my sixth year, it was still a very big learning curve. It was a very good season for picking up on all those things going into the winter.

“I looked back on what was good, what was not good, the strengths, the weaknesses, and how you put them together to make you a more complete driver. I think [it was] crucial in terms of learning and understanding more about myself, and what I need to work on.”