Lando Norris, the British driver for McLaren, believes his team is competitive and ready for a fierce battle in the qualifying for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Norris, behind the wheel of the striking McLaren MCL38 with a livery honoring Ayrton Senna, finished fourth in the first practice session and fifth in the second session, just 0.675s behind the fastest driver, Charles Leclerc. With strong performances from Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and a fighting Red Bull, Norris is confident that McLaren can be in the mix on Saturday.
“I think we are in a good position considering the challenging nature of this track,” Norris stated. “It’s great to be back here and experience the chaos and difficulty that Monaco always brings. Overall, it was a decent first day for us. We may be a bit behind Leclerc and the Ferraris, and maybe even the fast Mercedes, but everyone is closer due to the small size and unique nature of the track. We still have some improvements to make, and tomorrow will be tough, but we are in the fight, and that’s what matters.”
When asked about McLaren’s performance on Friday, Norris mentioned that their focus is on improving the car’s mechanical setup. Increasing grip at low speeds is crucial, but finding the right balance around the challenging Monaco circuit is a delicate task. “Grip at low speeds is key here,” Norris explained. “We need to adjust the balance to achieve that and also ensure the car can handle the bumps smoothly and feel softer. However, there’s a trade-off, as pushing too much in that direction can compromise overall performance. It’s a complex challenge, but we tested different things today and hopefully can analyze the data tonight and make improvements for tomorrow.”
Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, chose not to use the soft tires in the second practice session, resulting in a 12th place finish. Despite this, Piastri expressed satisfaction with his performance and considered it a decent day of practice. Looking ahead to Saturday, Piastri expects a tight competition. “Honestly, we could be anywhere from first to eighth,” he said. “Even Aston Martin and Alonso looked strong, so it’s unpredictable. Today, the field was very close in terms of lap times, and there are many fast cars out there. The driver who does the perfect lap will probably come out on top.”
