Johnny Herbert's slip of the tongue proves F1 legend right about McLaren and Lando Norris

McLaren won the Formula 1 constructors' title successful 2024 but missed retired connected drivers' rubric glory arsenic Lando Norris finished 2nd down Red Bull's Max Verstappen

A remark made by Johnny Herbert has proven a erstwhile Formula 1 champion close astir the value of McLaren's constructors' rubric success.

McLaren ended a agelong hold for team's rubric glory erstwhile they saw disconnected the situation of Ferrari past year. They became constructors' champions for the archetypal clip since 1998, sealed by a Lando Norris triumph successful the last contention of the play successful Abu Dhabi.

It helped to soften the stroke of the Brit missing retired connected the drivers' crown. Norris made Max Verstappen enactment for it but successful the extremity it was the Dutchman who secured his fourth-straight rubric by 63 points.

Speaking to Mirror Sport, 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve blamed McLaren's strategy decisions for Norris' failure and said: "I cognize they won the constructors' title and it's much wealth successful the bank, but cipher cares.

"People lone subordinate to the operator and the squad that won with that driver. Aside from the play conscionable gone, each clip Max was world champion, Red Bull besides won the constructors' title but this twelvemonth they didn't and cipher cares. They attraction astir Max winning with Red Bull."

And his constituent of presumption has been backed up by different erstwhile F1 operator successful Herbert. Asked for his prediction up of the upcoming 2025 season, the Brit referred lone to Verstappen and his squad arsenic having "won the championship" successful the erstwhile run arsenic helium assessed McLaren's chances.

"Do I expect a peculiar squad to commencement disconnected beardown similar Red Bull and Max Verstappen did past year? Probably not," Herbert told Casinoutanspelpaus.io. "I would expect it to beryllium McLaren, but I bash retrieve the opening of past twelvemonth wherever they ended the twelvemonth earlier rather strong, but they didn't rather transportation it done and Red Bull got the leap connected them.

"Which is wherefore Max and Red Bull won the title eventually, due to the fact that they started very, precise beardown adjacent with a anemic benignant of mediate of the season. It didn't substance though due to the fact that they already gained a large constituent vantage and past McLaren were chasing aft that."

Despite missing retired connected the drivers' title, Norris insists helium is "proud" of his performances successful 2024 and feels helium is present acceptable to get the occupation done this term. He said: "I've made my mistakes and, astatine the aforesaid time, I've learned a batch from those mistakes.

"I judge I'm a bully capable operator and I've got everything it takes. I'm excited to spell into 2025 knowing I've learned a lot, I've improved a batch and I'm acceptable to bring the combat to everyone."