Analysis
Norris details McLaren car handling struggles despite recent wins
Lando Norris discusses McLaren MCL38's challenging handling despite two consecutive wins, noting team mate gaps and slow-speed cornering issues.
McLaren's Performance Paradox
Lando Norris has described the McLaren MCL38 as a difficult car to drive, even as he secured consecutive Grand Prix victories at the Belgian and Dutch rounds. The British driver's comments, reported by RaceFans, highlight the contrasting characteristics of the current McLaren chassis. Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix by 11.536 seconds over Andrea Kimi Antonelli, following his Belgian triumph. This recent form places him fifth in the Drivers' Championship with 128 points, behind Charles Leclerc's 138.
Norris stated that the MCL38 is a “trickier car to drive this year in some ways.” He observed that the performance differences between team mates are often wider this season compared to last year. His team mate, Oscar Piastri, finished sixth at the Dutch Grand Prix. Piastri was heard asking his race engineer, Tom Stallard, for “some help on how to drive this thing” during the race, according to RaceFans.
Driver Adaptation and Team Communication
Despite the car’s characteristics, Norris believes he has improved his understanding of the MCL38 and his communication with the McLaren team. He explained, “I do believe I’m able to understand situations better, to understand the car in a better way.” Norris added that his work off-track has been crucial, allowing him to relay feedback effectively to his engineers. He cited adjustments made between the sprint race and qualifying in the Netherlands as an example of how overnight work “transformed our race and gave me the opportunity to win.” This adaptive approach has been essential for McLaren, who currently hold 220 Constructor Points. Valtteri Bottas, the Finnish driver for Sauber, is yet to score points this season, sitting 21st in the standings.
Cornering Strengths and Weaknesses
Norris highlighted specific areas of the MCL38’s performance. McLaren possesses strong high-speed cornering capability, with Norris asserting, “No one matches us in high-speed.” He noted a significant pace advantage over Mercedes in high-speed sections during the Dutch Grand Prix. However, the car struggles considerably in low-speed corners. “The advantage that they have to us in slow speed is also crazy,” Norris admitted, referring to competitors like Mercedes. This disparity means that despite recent successes, Norris does not believe the MCL38 is currently a championship-contending car. He stated, “I don’t have the confidence to say, ‘Yeah, I can easily fight for a championship for the rest of the season.’” He clarified, “At the minute I don’t have the car I need to fight for a championship.”
Championship Outlook
Antonelli leads the Drivers’ Championship with 219 points, ahead of Lewis Hamilton's 169. Norris's recent victories have closed the gap, but the McLaren’s inconsistent performance across different cornering speeds presents a challenge. The Italian Grand Prix is the next event on the Formula 1 calendar, with the first session scheduled for Friday, September 4, at 13:30 Finnish time. This race will provide another test for McLaren's high-speed prowess and low-speed deficiencies. While McLaren have shown bursts of strong performance, addressing the fundamental handling characteristics will be critical for a sustained championship challenge in the remaining ten rounds.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Analysis, which means this is our reading of facts that are already established. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Eero Lahtinen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- RaceFansracefans.net
