In the recently concluded Sprint Qualifying session, Lando Norris of McLaren found himself grappling with a challenging vehicle and a series of missteps that saw him slip to a sixth-place finish. This was a surprising outcome, considering McLaren had been tipped as the likely frontrunners for the top spot.
During the pivotal SQ3 session, Norris struggled with his MCL39’s handling and made several errors on his flying laps. These unexpected difficulties allowed rival teams Ferrari and Red Bull to seize the front row, leaving McLaren to grapple with an unrealized potential.
Norris had shown exceptional skill during Friday’s first practice session that preceded the Sprint Qualifying. However, his performance dipped significantly during the actual session. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, outperformed him by finishing third, but the overall performance of the McLaren team was below expectations.
Reflecting on his performance, Norris admitted to making a mistake. “I locked up in the last corner,” he confessed, adding that the MCL39 was proving difficult to drive. He further lamented the car’s performance, stating, “We just struggled a bit more now, just not quick enough. Simply struggled a lot with the car. Our difficulties that we’ve been struggling with showed a lot more today.”
Despite the MCL39’s impressive speed, accessing its full potential was a task Norris found too daunting during the Sprint Qualifying. He compared the challenges faced to those experienced during the three-day pre-season test in Bahrain. Norris pointed out that both he and Oscar had struggled, especially in the face of the tailwinds, which affected their last corner performance.
Addressing the compatibility between his driving style and the MCL39, Norris suggested that the car may prove to be more ‘peaky’ this year, making it harder to operate optimally. He noted that the aerodynamics team at McLaren is constantly striving to find lap time, which involves a delicate balancing act with the car’s performance.
Norris underscored the dilemmas faced in car tuning. Teams are often torn between seeking peak aero balance, which though faster, may result in a trickier drive, or opting for a more rounded car that sacrifices some grip but performs better in windy conditions. However, what Norris desires in a car is often difficult to achieve.
He explained that his ideal car would have a good front at apex, but he rarely gets what he needs from that perspective. However, Norris stressed that a lack in what he desires doesn’t necessarily render the car bad, and races can still be won. “There are so many compromises you have to make, and at the end of the day, you just want the best all-rounded car,” he said.
Over the past couple of years, Norris has learned to adapt his driving style to the car he’s given, rather than insisting on a car that suits his preferences. This shift in approach, although uncomfortable, has proved enlightening, helping him learn more about his driving over the last 18 months than he did in the preceding five years.
