Lando Norris expressed optimism regarding McLaren’s performance at Suzuka, though he acknowledged persistent challenges that the team faces.
Lando Norris shared his ongoing efforts to discover a “magic bullet” that could minimize McLaren’s “losses,” following an encouraging practice day at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Despite expectations that the MCL38 would excel on the high-speed Suzuka circuit, it continues to display a notable weakness in slower corners, particularly the hairpin and the final chicane, which are significant points of concern for the team.
In the two practice sessions on Friday, Norris secured 10th and 6th place, respectively.
These sessions were marked by disruptions, including a red flag due to Logan Sargeant’s crash during FP1 and a rain-affected second session, during which F1 champion Max Verstappen chose to remain in the Red Bull garage.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’s teammate, finished eighth and first in the two 60-minute sessions. Both Norris and team principal Andrea Stella share a positive outlook on the team’s prospects.
Nonetheless, Norris admitted that the car still “struggles in certain areas.” He elaborated on the car’s performance, noting, “It felt reasonable and it was better than it looked because of the red flag which came out on my best lap, and then the tyres dropped off a lot on the second lap.”
“We are in a good position, probably around the third-quickest team and it is very, very close with us, Mercedes and Aston Martin, but Ferrari and Red Bull are too far ahead. I was using different downforce to Oscar, a lower [configuration], and it did not seem to be as quite as good.
“We’re still performing in the window we expect, and where we think it should be, but it is still a struggle in certain places, so the focus is trying to limit our losses in those places, and if we can do that, we can have a good day.”
Norris has disclosed the challenges McLaren faces as it strives to narrow the gap with leading teams such as Red Bull and Ferrari.
Merely half a year earlier, McLaren showcased an impressive performance at Suzuka, both in qualifying and the race, with Norris clinching second place, trailing behind Verstappen and outpacing Piastri.
As time has progressed, Norris points out that the obstacles impeding McLaren currently are not readily apparent, compelling the team to explore various strategies, albeit often without success.
“We work around everything, so you try as many things as you can, and every track is different, with the tyres and conditions, so there is always something more to try to find that magic bullet,” Norris stated. “But it is obvious we just lack downforce and a well-balanced car in slow-speed corners.
“You can try and make up for it, but it is trading stuff rather than just gaining, so it is difficult to catch up and it is an endless trail of: ‘Maybe this or that is better’ but it is the same with everything.
“Sometimes you decide it is best to leave it, and we are always trying hard to develop, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
