Lando Norris Sounds Alarm: McLaren’s Balance in Disarray Ahead of Mexico GP!
In a gripping revelation following the initial practice sessions for the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, Lando Norris has candidly declared that McLaren’s car balance is “all over the place.” The British racing star clocked in with the fourth-fastest time during FP2 at the iconic Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit, trailing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by two-tenths of a second, who unsurprisingly dominated the session.
While Norris showcased his skill, his teammate Oscar Piastri struggled to find his footing, ending up in a disappointing 12th place and a staggering eight-tenths off the pace set by Verstappen. Earlier in the day, Piastri had managed a commendable fourth in FP1, but the fortunes shifted dramatically when Norris took a backseat, allowing local legend and McLaren IndyCar hero Pato O’Ward to fill his spot.
After FP2, Norris expressed cautious optimism about the car’s potential but couldn’t hide his frustration about hitting the limits too quickly. “I think we’re in a reasonable place, for sure. I feel like I got up to speed very quickly, actually, I was quite surprised,” he reflected. However, he added with concern, “I found the limit quite quickly, but that is just holding us back a bit.”
Despite the promising start to the weekend, Norris is wary of the traditional Friday-to-Saturday swing that often sees competitors catch up. “We’re already a little bit behind, so we definitely have some work to do tonight,” he stated. The troubling balance of the car has been a recurring theme, echoing the struggles the team faced in previous races. “The balance of the car is just a bit all over the place, the same as the last few weeks,” he lamented.
Piastri, on the other hand, remains hopeful about their prospects. He acknowledged his FP2 position might raise eyebrows but clarified that he was experimenting with Soft tires and wasn’t overly concerned about the lap time. “It was OK,” he assessed, describing his performance. “We’ll go through and have a look at what worked, what didn’t, but overall I felt reasonable. We’ll see what we can tune up for tomorrow.”
Looking back on the challenges faced in Austin, Piastri mentioned that the issues with the MCL39 have largely been addressed. “There were a few things we identified from Austin. Obviously, it was a pretty messy weekend as well,” he recalled. “Plenty of small things, but when you put them all together, they add up. I think we’ve got a good handle on last week.”
With the stakes high and the competition fierce, Piastri confidently asserted, “It’s going to be tight, like always, but I think we have a good car underneath us.” As the tension mounts ahead of the main event, all eyes will be on McLaren to see if they can turn their fortunes around and tackle the challenges posed by both their car and their rivals.
With Norris and Piastri determined to make a statement, the question remains: Can McLaren reclaim their competitive edge in time for the race? Fans and pundits alike will be watching closely as the drama unfolds in Mexico!
