Lando Norris claps back at Jolyon Palmer's "luck" argument amid intense F1 title fight

McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris has responded to former driver Jolyon Palmer’s recent comments about “luck” pushing him further forward in the 2025 drivers’ standings.

Palmer discussed the intense championship battle between Norris and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri during an appearance on the F1 Nation podcast during the summer break.

“But on pretty much all stats and viewing, Piastri has been the better driver so far. And I looked through and I think that championship lead is nine points – could easily be 61 points but for largely a bit of luck,” he argued.

“So I’m thinking there’s 16 points lost in Melbourne. Both McLarens go skittling off through the gravel. Oscar’s is slightly more than Lando’s, but really, you can’t judge this. And it cost Oscar on the day 16 points.”

He added: “I’m thinking Silverstone: tough decision that I’ve not seen penalised since or before and it cost Oscar the win.

“Imola, the timing of the safety car: really tough decision and it’s just a bit of bad luck. It cost him at the time only six points in terms of a swing. And then you’ve got Budapest. A great win for Lando. Absorbed the pressure, did what he had to do, but he did it because he had a bad start, was in the wrong position, and then sort of got into the right strategy that Oscar wasn’t given.

“When you look at all those points lost, even the two points in the Miami sprint, whereas safety car timing cost Oscar the win and gave it to Lando, there’s been a lot of things that have just gone towards Lando in these first 14 races.”

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Norris acknowledged Palmer’s remarks during the Dutch Grand Prix press conference, admitting that he has had a “little bit of luck,” but he has also been hit with bad luck, and it has taken a large amount of work from him and his team to find improvements.

“I did roll the dice, yes. I’ve certainly had a little bit of luck, I’ve also been unlucky, but it’s life, I can’t choose those things. I’m lucky that I’ve been with McLaren for the last seven years.

“I could not be with McLaren as well for the last five years. So, I’ve made also good decisions, I like to believe, and I’m backing myself that I made good decisions along the way and good decisions this year. I’ve improved as a driver this year.

“I’ve had a car which I found a lot trickier to drive, just as much as everyone complains when they have a car that doesn’t suit them or doesn’t drive as well as what they would like.

“I had that a little bit at the beginning and made some good steps forward to come back and have some good races. I would not have won in Budapest if I didn’t improve on those myself and that was not luck, that’s hard work, that’s a lot of dedication with my engineers and my team, both at the track and away from it.

“I would say I have had a little bit of luck here and there, like everyone needs a little bit in their life, but so has probably every other driver at some races here and there. But I’ve also made good decisions, I’ve kept myself out of trouble, stuck by the rules, all of those things are part of being a racing driver and at times they gave me points, so that’s also down to me doing a good job at times.”

Just nine points separate the two McLaren drivers heading into the Dutch Grand Prix, with Norris sitting in second.

Photos from Dutch GP – Thursday